The Committee on Legal Affairs adopted the report by Bernhard RAPKAY (S&D, DE) in which it recommended the European Parliament to defend the immunity and privileges of Lara COMI (EPP, IT).

To recall, Lara Comi, MEP, requested the defence of her parliamentary immunity in response to a summons to appear before the Court of Ferrara with which she was served on 1 October 2013 in respect of an action for damages brought in connection with statements allegedly made by her during a televised political debate.

This request, which related to criminal proceedings, was followed by a second request from Ms Comi, submitted on 16 October 2013 in response to a summons, served on her on 1 October 2013, to appear in civil proceedings for damages based on the same facts as those criminal proceedings. The two requests to defend Ms Comi’s immunity concern the same facts (see procedure file IMM/2013/2190).

Ms Comi exercised her right to be heard on both matters by the Committee on Legal Affairs at its meeting of 5 November 2013.

Given that Ms Comi was invited to the television broadcast in her capacity as a Member of the European Parliament to discuss issues of general interest (public procurement and organised crime) in which she had always taken an interest at European level, the Committee on Legal Affairs recommended the European Parliament to defend the immunity and privileges of Lara COMI, as it did during the previous request for defense of immunity in January 2014.

The European Parliament decided to defend the immunity and privileges of Lara COMI (EPP, IT).

To recall, Lara Comi, MEP, requested the defence of her parliamentary immunity in response to a summons to appear before the Court of Ferrara with which she was served on 1 October 2013 in respect of an action for damages brought in connection with statements allegedly made by her during a televised political debate.

This request, which related to criminal proceedings, was followed by a second request from Ms Comi, submitted on 16 October 2013 in response to a summons, served on her on 1 October 2013, to appear in civil proceedings for damages based on the same facts as those criminal proceedings. The two requests to defend Ms Comi’s immunity concern the same facts (see procedure file IMM/2013/2190).

Given that Ms Comi was invited to the television broadcast in her capacity as a Member of the European Parliament to discuss issues of general interest (public procurement and organised crime) in which she had always taken an interest at European level and that the opinions were expressed in the performance of her duties as a Member of Parliament, Members considered that the immunity and privileges of Lara COMI should be defended.