| 37 |
2020/2098(REG)
2020/09/24
AFCO
37 amendments...
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that the sanitary crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed that its Rules of Procedure did not providrequire fmor all appropriate measures in order to facilitate thee developed procedures in order to ensure the unlimited functioning of Parliament in different types of extraordinary circumstances;
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 3 3. Takes notUnderlines the importance of the temporary measures adopted, in compliance with the rule of law, by its President and its governing bodies in the current sanitary crisis, in order to cope with such extraordinary circumstances; underlinstresses that there were no alternatives to those measures were neein ordedr to guarantee the continuity of Parliament’s business, as required by the Treaties, and that they allowinged Parliament to carry out its legislative, budgetary and political control functions during the crisis in accordance with the procedures provided for by the Treaties;
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Andrea BOCSKOR, Andor DELI, Tamás DEUTSCH, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Kinga GÁL, Enikő GYŐRI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, Edina TÓTH, József SZÁJER, Ádám KÓSA
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 3 3. Takes note of the temporary measures adopted by its President and its governing bodies in order to cope with such extraordinary circumstances; underlines that those measures were needed to guarantee the continuity of Parliament’s business, which is required by the Treaties, allowing Parliament to carry out its legislative, budgetary and political control functions during the crisis;
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 4 4. RecogniStresses that those temporary measures were fully justified and that they ensured the validity of all votes taken during their period of application;
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Andrea BOCSKOR, Andor DELI, Tamás DEUTSCH, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Kinga GÁL, Enikő GYŐRI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, Edina TÓTH, József SZÁJER, Ádám KÓSA
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 4 4. Recognises that those temporary measures were fully justified and ensured the validity of all votes taken during their period of applicatione motive and necessity of those temporary measures were tackling the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic;
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Ádám KÓSA, József SZÁJER, Edina TÓTH, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Enikő GYŐRI, Kinga GÁL, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Tamás DEUTSCH, Andor DELI, Andrea BOCSKOR
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Expresses its desire to restore Parliament's full operation in compliance with its own rules, as laid down in the Treaties;
Proposal for a decision
Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Recalls that the European Union is a community of values that cherishes and holds the principle of the rule of law in high esteem and therefore instructs its President to initiate a review procedure in accordance with Article 263 of the TFEU to ensure the legality of those amendments to the Rules of Procedure within two months of their adoption;
TITLE XIIIa: EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 a (new)
Rule 237a Extraordinary measures 1. This Rule applies to situations in which the European Parliament, due to exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond its control, is hindered from carrying out its duties and exercising its prerogatives under the Treaties and a temporary derogation from Parliament’s usual procedures set out elsewhere in these Rules is necessary in order to adopt extraordinary measures to enable it to continue to carry out those duties and to exercise those prerogatives. Such extraordinary circumstances shall be considered to exist where the President comes to the conclusion, on the basis of reliable evidence confirmed, where appropriate, by Parliament’s services, that for reasons of security or safety or as a result of the non-availability of technical means it is or will be impossible or dangerous for Parliament to convene in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules and its adopted calendar. 2. Where the conditions set out in paragraph 1 are fulfilled, the President may decide, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, to apply one or more of the measures referred to in paragraph 3. If it is impossible, due to reasons of imperative urgency, for the Conference of Presidents to convene, the President may decide to apply one or more of the measures set out in paragraph 3, points (a), (b) and (c). Such a decision shall lapse five days after its adoption unless approved by the Conference of Presidents within that deadline. Following a decision by the President, approved by the Conference of Presidents, Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold may, at any time, request that some or all of the measures addressed by that decision be submitted individually to Parliament for revocation or confirmation without debate. The vote in plenary shall be placed on the agenda of the first sitting following the day on which the request was tabled. No amendments may be tabled. Such a procedural request to vote some or all of the measures addressed by the decision shall be put to the vote. The required majority for that vote shall be a majority of component members. If the said majority is reached, some or all of the measures referred to in the request will be put individually to a vote. A majority of component members will be needed to revoke them. In the case of revocation, the measures shall lapse after the announcement of the result of the vote. A measure confirmed by the plenary may not be the subject of a further vote during the same part-session. 3. The decision referred to in paragraph 2 may provide for all appropriate measures addressing the extraordinary circumstances referred to under paragraph 1, and in particular for the following measures: (a) postponement of a scheduled part- session, sitting or meeting of a committee to a later date and/or cancellation or limitation of meetings of inter- parliamentary delegations and other bodies; (b) displacement of the part-session, sitting or meeting of a committee from Parliament’s seat to one of its working places or to an external place or from one of its working places to Parliament’s seat, to one of Parliament’s other working places or to an external place; (c) holding of the part-session or the sitting on the premises of Parliament but fully or partially in separate meeting rooms allowing for appropriate physical distancing; (d) holding of the part session, sitting or meeting of bodies of Parliament under the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c; (e) in the event that the ad hoc replacement mechanism laid down in Rule 209 (7) fails to provide sufficient remedies to the extraordinary circumstances under consideration, temporary replacement by political groups of Members in a committee unless the Member concerned opposes; (f) in the event that the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c cannot be applied, lowering of the quorum laid down in Rules 178 and 218 to a minimum of one quarter of Parliament’s component Members instead of one third as regards the necessary presence in the Chamber and/or to a minimum of one fifth of the members of a committee instead of one quarter as regards the necessary presence in a committee. 4. A decision referred to in paragraph 2 shall be limited in time and shall state the reasons on which it is based. It shall enter into force upon its publication on Parliament’s website or, if circumstances prevent such publication, by the best available means. All Members shall also be informed individually of the decision without delay. The decision may be renewed by the President in accordance with the procedure under paragraph 2 once or more, for a limited time. A decision to renew shall state the reasons on which it is based. The President shall revoke a decision adopted under this Rule as soon as the extraordinary circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 that gave rise to its adoption have disappeared. 5. This Rule shall be applied only as a last resort, and only measures that are strictly necessary to address the extraordinary circumstances under consideration shall be selected and applied. When applying this Rule, due account shall be taken, in particular, of the principle of representative democracy, the principle of equal treatment of Members, the right of Members to exercise their parliamentary mandate without impairment, their right to speak in one of the official languages of the European Union and to vote freely, individually and in person, and Protocol No 6 to the Treaties.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 a (new)
Rule 237a Extraordinary measures 1. This Rule applies to situations in which the European Parliament, due to exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond its control, is hindered from carrying out its duties and exercising its prerogatives under the Treaties and a temporary derogation from Parliament’s usual procedures set out elsewhere in these Rules is necessary in order to adopt extraordinary measures to enable it to continue to carry out those duties and to exercise those prerogatives. Such extraordinary circumstances shall be considered to exist where the President comes to the conclusion, on the basis of reliable evidence confirmed, where appropriate, by Parliament’s services, that for reasons of security or safety or as a result of the non-availability of technical means it is or will be impossible or dangerous for Parliament to convene in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules and its adopted calendar. 2. Where the conditions set out in paragraph 1 are fulfilled, the President may decide, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, to apply one or more of the measures referred to in paragraph 3. If it is impossible, due to reasons of imperative urgency, for the Conference of Presidents to convene, the President may decide to apply one or more of the measures set out in paragraph 3, points (a), (b) and (c). Such a decision shall lapse five days after its adoption unless approved by the Conference of Presidents within that deadline. Following a decision by the President, approved by the Conference of Presidents, Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold may, at any time, request that some or all of the measures addressed by that decision be submitted individually to Parliament for revocation or confirmation without debate. The vote in plenary shall be placed on the agenda of the first sitting following the day on which the request was tabled. No amendments may be tabled. A majority of component members will be needed to revoke a measure. In the case of revocation, the measure shall lapse after the announcement of the result of the vote. A measure approved by the plenary may not be the subject of a further vote during the same part-session. 3. The decision referred to in paragraph 2 may provide for all appropriate measures addressing the extraordinary circumstances referred to under paragraph 1, and in particular for the following measures: (a) postponement of a scheduled part- session, sitting or meeting of a committee to a later date and/or cancellation or limitation of meetings of inter- parliamentary delegations and other bodies; (b) displacement of the part-session, sitting or meeting of a committee from Parliament’s seat to one of its working places or to an external place or from one of its working places to Parliament’s seat, to one of Parliament’s other working places or to an external place; (c) holding of the part-session or the sitting on the premises of Parliament but fully or partially in separate meeting rooms allowing for appropriate physical distancing; (d) holding of the part session, sitting or meeting of bodies of Parliament under the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c; (e) in the event that the ad hoc replacement mechanism laid down in Rule 209(7) fails to provide sufficient remedies to the extraordinary circumstances under consideration, temporary replacement by political groups of Members in a committee unless the Member concerned opposes; (f) in the event that the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c cannot be applied, lowering of the quorum laid down in Rules 178 and 218 to a minimum of one quarter of Parliament’s component Members instead of one third as regards the necessary presence in the Chamber and/or to a minimum of one fifth of the members of a committee instead of one quarter as regards the necessary presence in a committee. 4. A decision referred to in paragraph 2 shall be limited in time and shall state the reasons on which it is based. It shall enter into force upon its publication on Parliament’s website or, if circumstances prevent such publication, by the best available means. All Members shall also be informed individually of the decision without delay. The decision may be renewed by the President in accordance with the procedure under paragraph 2 once or more for a limited time. A decision to renew shall state the reasons on which it is based. The President shall revoke a decision adopted under this Rule as soon as the extraordinary circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 that gave rise to its adoption have disappeared. 5. This Rule shall be applied only as a last resort, and only measures that are strictly necessary to address the extraordinary circumstances under consideration shall be selected and applied. When applying this Rule, due account shall be taken, in particular, of the principle of representative democracy, the principle of equal treatment of Members, the right of Members to exercise their parliamentary mandate without impairment, their right to speak in one of the official languages of the European Union and to vote freely, individually and in person, and Protocol No 6 to the Treaties.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 a (new)
Rule 237a Extraordinary measures 1. This Rule applies to situations in which the European Parliament, due to exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond its control, is hindered from carrying out its duties and exercising its prerogatives under the Treaties in accordance with Parliament’s usual procedures set out elsewhere in these Rules. In these circumstances, a temporary derogation from the above usual procedures and the adoption of extraordinary measures may be necessary to enable Parliament to carry out those duties and to exercise those prerogatives. Such extraordinary circumstances shall be considered to exist where the President, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, comes to the conclusion, on the basis of reliable evidence confirmed, where appropriate, by Parliament’s services, that it is or will be impossible or dangerous for Parliament to convene in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules and its adopted calendar. 2. Where the conditions set out in paragraph 1 are fulfilled, the President may decide, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, to apply one or more of the measures referred to in paragraph 3. Where the conditions set out in paragraph 1 are fulfilled and it is impossible or dangerous for Parliament to convene physically or by remote connection in accordance with its adopted calendar, the President may decide, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, to apply the measures referred to in paragraph 3(a). If it is impossible, due to reasons of imperative urgency, for the Conference of Presidents to convene, the President may decide to apply one or more of the measures set out in paragraph 3 points (a), (b) and (c). Such a decision shall lapse five days after its adoption unless approved by the Conference of Presidents within that deadline. The decision by the President, approved by the Conference of Presidents, shall be submitted to the next plenary for approval. Each of the measures taken shall be put to the vote separately. No amendments may be tabled. If a measure fails to obtain a majority of the votes cast, it shall lapse after the announcement of the result of the vote. A measure approved by the plenary may not be the subject of a further vote during the same part-session. A political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold may, at any time, request that some or all of the measures taken under paragraph 3 of this rule be submitted to the next plenary for approval. The vote in plenary shall be placed on the agenda of the first sitting following the day on which the request was tabled. No amendments may be tabled. If a measure fails to obtain a majority of the votes cast, it shall lapse after the announcement of the result of the vote. A measure approved by the plenary may not be the subject of a further vote during the same part-session. 3. The decision referred to in paragraph 2 may relate to the following appropriate measures in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2, to the extent that they are suitable, necessary and proportionate: (a) postponement of a scheduled part- session, sitting or meeting of a committee to a later date and/or cancellation or limitation of meetings of inter- parliamentary delegations and other bodies; (b) displacement of the part-session, sitting or meeting of a committee from Parliament’s seat to one of its working places or to an external location or from one of its working places to Parliament’s seat, to one of Parliament’s other working places or to an external location; (c) holding of the part-session or the sitting on the premises of Parliament but fully or partially in separate meeting rooms allowing for appropriate physical distancing; (d) holding of the part session, sitting or meeting of bodies of Parliament under the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c; 4. A decision referred to in paragraph 2 shall be limited in time and shall state the reasons on which it is based. It shall enter into force upon its publication on Parliament’s website or, if circumstances prevent such publication, by the best available means. All Members shall also be informed individually of the decision without delay. The decision may be renewed by the President, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, in accordance with the procedure under paragraph 2 once or more for a limited time. A decision to renew shall state the reasons on which it is based. The President, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, shall revoke a decision adopted under this Rule once it is no longer suitable, necessary and proportionate. 5. Given that this Rule provides for an exception to Parliament's usual procedures, it shall be strictly interpreted and applied. Application of this Rule shall not lead to any breach of representative democracy, bearing in mind the uniquely representative nature of Parliament, the principle of equal treatment of Members, the right of Members to exercise their parliamentary mandate without impairment, their right to speak in one of the official languages of the European Union and their right to vote freely, individually and in person. The democratic and transparent functioning of the European Parliament shall be respected in all circumstances and all its Members shall be treated equally.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 a (new)
Rule 237a Extraordinary measures 1. This Rule applies to situations in which the European Parliament, due to exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond its control, is hindered from carrying out its duties and exercising its prerogatives under the Treaties and a temporary derogation from Parliament’s usual procedures set out elsewhere in these Rules is necessary in order to adopt extraordinary measures to enable it to continue to carry out those duties and to exercise those prerogatives. Such extraordinary circumstances shall be considered to exist where the President comes to the conclusion, on the basis of reliable evidence confirmed, where appropriate, by Parliament’s services, that for reasons of security or safety or as a result of the non-availability of technical means it is or will be impossible or dangerous for Parliament to convene in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules and its adopted calendar. 2. Where the conditions set out in paragraph 1 are fulfilled, the President may decide, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, to apply one or more of the measures referred to in paragraph 3. If it is impossible, due to reasons of imperative urgency, for the Conference of Presidents to convene, the President may decide to apply one or more of the measures set out in paragraph 3, points (a), (b) and (c). Such a decision shall lapse five days after its adoption unless approved by the Conference of Presidents within that deadline. Following a decision by the President, approved by the Conference of Presidents, a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold may, at any time, request that some or all of the measures addressed by that decision be submitted individually to Parliament for approval without debate. The vote in plenary shall be placed on the agenda of the first sitting following the day on which the request was tabled. No amendments may be tabled. If a measure fails to obtain a majority of the votes cast, it shall lapse after the announcement of the result of the vote. A measure approved by the plenary may not be the subject of a further vote during the same part-session. 3. The decision referred to in paragraph 2 may provide for all appropriate measures addressing the extraordinary circumstances referred to under paragraph 1, and in particular for the following measures: (a) postponement of a scheduled part- session, sitting or meeting of a committee to a later date and/or cancellation or limitation of meetings of inter- parliamentary delegations and other bodies; (b) displacement of the part-session, sitting or meeting of a committee from Parliament’s seat to one of its working places or to an external place or from one of its working places to Parliament’s seat, to one of Parliament’s other working places or to an external place; (c) holding of the part-session or the sitting on the premises of Parliament but fully or partially in separate meeting rooms allowing for appropriate physical distancing; (d) holding of the part-session, sitting or meeting of bodies of Parliament under the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c; (e) in the event that the ad hoc replacement mechanism laid down in Rule 209(7) fails to provide sufficient remedies to the extraordinary circumstances under consideration, temporary replacement specified by the political groups of Members in a committee unless the Member concerned opposes; (f) in the event that the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c cannot be applied, lowering of the quorum laid down in Rules 178 and 218 to a minimum of one quarter of Parliament’s component Members instead of one third as regards the necessary presence in the Chamber and/or to a minimum of one fifth of the members of a committee instead of one quarter as regards the necessary presence in a committee. 4. A decision referred to in paragraph 2 shall be limited in time and shall state the reasons on which it is based. It shall enter into force upon its publication on Parliament’s website or, if circumstances prevent such publication, by the best available means. All Members shall also be informed individually of the decision without delay. The decision may be renewed by the President in accordance with the procedure under paragraph 2 once or more for a limited time. A decision to renew shall state the reasons on which it is based. The President shall revoke a decision adopted under this Rule as soon as the extraordinary circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 that gave rise to its adoption have disappeared. 5. This Rule shall be applied only as a last resort, and only measures that are strictly necessary to address the extraordinary circumstances under consideration shall be selected and applied. When applying this Rule, due account shall be taken, in particular, of the principle of representative democracy, the principle of equal treatment of Members, the right of Members to exercise their parliamentary mandate without impairment, their right to speak in one of the official languages of the European Union and to vote freely, individually and in person, and the Protocol No 6 to the Treaties.
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Andrea BOCSKOR, Andor DELI, Tamás DEUTSCH, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Kinga GÁL, Enikő GYŐRI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, Edina TÓTH, József SZÁJER, Ádám KÓSA
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 a (new)
Rule 237a Extraordinary measures 1. This Rule applies to situations in which the European Parliament, due to exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond its control, is hindered from carrying out its duties and exercising its prerogatives under the, and according to the Treaties and a temporary derogation from Parliament’s usual procedures set out elsewhere in these Rules is necessary in order to adopt extraordinary measures to enable it to continue to carry out those duties and to exercise those prerogatives. Such extraordinary circumstances shall be considered to exist where the President comes to the conclusion, on the basis of reliable evidence confirmed, where appropriate, by the services responsible for security and safety, the Legal Service of the European Parliament and after consultation with the President of the European Commission and the President of the Council of the European Union, that for reasons of security or safety or as a result of the non-availability of technical means it is or will be impossible or dangerous for Parliament to convene in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules and its adopted calendar. 2. Where the conditions set out in paragraph 1 are fulfilled, the President may decide, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents and after consultation with the Quaestors, to apply one or more of the measures referred to in paragraph 3. If it is impossible, due to reasons of imperative urgency, for the Conference of Presidents to convene, the President may decide to apply one or more of the measures set out in paragraph 3, points (a), (b) and (c). Such a decision shall lapse five days after its adoption unless approved by the Conference of Presidents within that deadline. The Conference of Presidents shall consult with the Quaestors before its decision. Following a decision by the President, approved by the Conference of Presidents, a political group or Members whose rights stemming from their parliamentary mandate are affected by the decision may, at any time, request that some or all of the measures addressed by that decision be submitted individually to Parliament for approval without debate. The vote in plenary shall be placed on the agenda of the first sitting following the day on which the request was tabled. If a measure fails to obtain a majority of the votes cast, it shall lapse after the announcement of the result of the vote. A measure approved by the plenary may not be the subject of a further vote during the same part-session. 3. The decisions referred to in paragraph 2 shall include the following, exhaustive list of measures: (a) postponement of a scheduled part- session, sitting or meeting of a committee to a later date and/or cancellation or limitation of meetings of inter- parliamentary delegations and other bodies; (b) displacement of the part-session, sitting or meeting of a committee from Parliament’s seat to one of its working places or to an external place or from one of its working places to Parliament’s seat, to one of Parliament’s other working places or to an external place; (c) holding of the part-session or the sitting on the premises of Parliament but fully or partially in separate meeting rooms allowing for appropriate physical distancing; (d) holding of the part session, sitting or meeting of bodies of Parliament under the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c; (e) in the event that the ad hoc replacement mechanism laid down in Rule 209(7) fails to provide sufficient remedies to the extraordinary circumstances under consideration, temporary replacement by political groups of Members in a committee unless the Member concerned opposes; (f) the definition of presence in the Chamber and its legal consequences such as rules related to the establishment of quorum and threshold. 4. A decision referred to in paragraph 2 shall be limited in time and scope, shall state the reasons on which it is based and might be subject to the procedure laid down in Article 263 of the TFEU. It shall enter into force upon its publication on Parliament’s website or, if circumstances prevent such publication, by the best available means. All Members shall also be informed individually of the decision without delay. The decision may be renewed by the President in accordance with the procedure under paragraph 2 once or more for a limited time. A decision to renew shall state the reasons on which it is based and might be subject to the procedure laid down in Article 263 of the TFEU. The President shall revoke a decision adopted under this Rule as soon as the extraordinary circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 that gave rise to its adoption have disappeared. 5. This Rule shall be applied only as a last resort, and only measures that are strictly necessary to address the extraordinary circumstances under consideration shall be selected and applied. When applying this Rule, due account shall be taken, in particular, of the principle of representative democracy and of the rule of law, the principle of equal treatment of Members, the right of Members to exercise their parliamentary mandate without impairment, providing proportional and balanced political representation, their right to speak in one of the official languages of the European Union and to vote freely, individually and in person. Compliance with Protocol No 6 to the Treaties needs to be ensured, and, if derogation is necessary with regards to the extraordinary circumstances referred to in this Rule, the formal agreement of the Member States shall be required, in accordance with the Treaties.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 a (new)
Rule 237a Extraordinary measures 1. This Rule applies to situations in which the European Parliament, due to exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond its control, is hindered from carrying out its duties and exercising its prerogatives under the Treaties and a temporary derogation from Parliament’s usual procedures set out elsewhere in these Rules is necessary in order to adopt extraordinary measures to enable it to continue to carry out those duties and to exercise those prerogatives. Such extraordinary circumstances shall be considered to exist where the President comes to the conclusion, on the basis of reliable evidence confirmed, where appropriate, by Parliament’s services, that for reasons of security or safety or as a result of the non-availability of technical means it is or will be impossible or dangerous for Parliament to convene in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules and its adopted calendar. 2. Where the conditions set out in paragraph 1 are fulfilled, the President may decide, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, to apply one or more of the measures referred to in Paragraph 3. If it is impossible, due to reasons of imperative urgency, for the Conference of Presidents to convene, the President may decide to apply one or more of the measures set out in paragraph 3, points (a), (b) and (c). Such a decision shall lapse five days after its adoption unless approved by the Conference of Presidents within that deadline. Following a decision by the President, approved by the Conference of Presidents, a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold may, at any time, request that some or all of the measures addressed by that decision be submitted individually to Parliament for approval without debate. The vote in plenary shall be placed on the agenda of the first sitting following the day on which the request was tabled. No amendments may be tabled. If a measure fails to obtain a majority of the votes cast, it shall lapse after the announcement of the result of the vote. A measure approved by the plenary may not be the subject of a further vote during the same part-session. 3. The decision referred to in paragraph 2 may provide for all appropriate measures addressing the extraordinary circumstances referred to under paragraph 1, and in particular for the following measures: (a) postponement of a scheduled part- session, sitting or meeting of a committee to a later date and/or cancellation or limitation of meetings of inter- parliamentary delegations and other bodies; (b) displacement of the part-session, sitting or meeting of a committee from Parliament’s seat to one of its working places or to an external place or from one of its working places to Parliament’s seat, to one of Parliament’s other working places or to an external place; (c) holding of the part-session or the sitting on the premises of Parliament but fully or partially in separate meeting rooms allowing for appropriate physical distancing; (d) holding of the part session, sitting or meeting of bodies of Parliament under the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c; (e) in the event that the ad hoc replacement mechanism laid down in Rule 209(7) fails to provide sufficient remedies to the extraordinary circumstances under consideration, temporary replacement by political groups of Members in a committee unless the Member concerned opposes; (f) in the event that the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c cannot be applied, lowering of the quorum laid down in Rules 178 and 218 to a minimum of one quarter of Parliament’s component Members instead of one third as regards the necessary presence in the Chamber and/or to a minimum of one fifth of the members of a committee instead of one quarter as regards the necessary presence in a committee. 4. A decision referred to in paragraph 2 shall be limited in time and shall state the reasons on which it is based. It shall enter into force upon its publication on Parliament’s website or, if circumstances prevent such publication, by the best available means. All Members shall also be informed individually of the decision without delay. The decision may be renewed by the President in accordance with the procedure under paragraph 2 once or more for a limited time. A decision to renew shall state the reasons on which it is based. The President shall revoke a decision adopted under this Rule as soon as the extraordinary circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 that gave rise to its adoption have disappeared. 5. This Rule shall be applied only as a last resort, and only measures that are strictly necessary to address the extraordinary circumstances under consideration shall be selected and applied. When applying this Rule, due account shall be taken, in particular, of the principle of representative democracy, the principle of equal treatment of Members, the right of Members to exercise their parliamentary mandate without impairment, their right to work (speak, write and read) in one of the official languages of the European Union - if the extraordinary circumstances last longer than three months, Rule 167 must be fully applied - and their right to vote freely, individually and in person, as well as of Protocol No 6 to the Treaties.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 a (new)
Rule 237a Extraordinary measures 1. This Rule applies to situations in which the European Parliament, due to exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond its control, is hindered from carrying out its duties and exercising its prerogatives under the Treaties and a temporary derogation from Parliament’s usual procedures set out elsewhere in these Rules is necessary in order to adopt extraordinary measures to enable it to continue to carry out those duties and to exercise those prerogatives. Such extraordinary circumstances shall be considered to exist where the President comes to the conclusion, on the basis of reliable evidence confirmed, where appropriate, by Parliament’s services, that for reasons of security or safety or as a result of the non-availability of technical means it is or will be impossible or dangerous for Parliament to convene in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules and its adopted calendar. 2. Where the conditions set out in paragraph 1 are fulfilled, the President may decide, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, to apply one or more of the measures referred to in paragraph 3. If it is impossible, due to reasons of imperative urgency, for the Conference of Presidents to convene, the President may decide to apply one or more of the measures set out in paragraph 3. Such a decision shall lapse five days after its adoption unless approved by the Conference of Presidents within that deadline. Following a decision by the President, approved by the Conference of Presidents, Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold may, at any time, request that some or all of the measures addressed by that decision be submitted individually to Parliament for approval with debate. The vote in plenary shall be placed on the agenda of the first sitting following the day on which the request was tabled. No amendments may be tabled. If a measure fails to obtain a majority of the votes cast, it shall lapse upon the announcement of the result of the vote. A measure approved by the plenary may not be the subject of a further vote during the same part-session. 3. The decision referred to in paragraph 2 may provide for all appropriate measures addressing the extraordinary circumstances referred to under paragraph 1, and in particular for the following measures: (a) postponement of a scheduled part- session, sitting or meeting of a committee to a later date and/or cancellation or limitation of meetings of inter- parliamentary delegations and other bodies; (b) displacement of the part-session, sitting or meeting of a committee from Parliament’s seat to one of its working places or to an external place or from one of its working places to Parliament’s seat, to one of Parliament’s other working places or to an external place; (c) holding of the part-session or the sitting on the premises of Parliament but fully or partially in separate meeting rooms allowing for appropriate physical distancing; (d) holding of the part session, sitting or meeting of bodies of Parliament under the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c; (e) in the event that the ad hoc replacement mechanism laid down in Rule 209(7) fails to provide sufficient remedies to the extraordinary circumstances under consideration, temporary replacement by political groups of Members in a committee unless the Member concerned opposes ; 4. A decision referred to in paragraph 2 shall be limited in time and shall state the reasons on which it is based. It shall enter into force upon its publication on Parliament’s website or, if circumstances prevent such publication, by the best available means. All Members shall also be informed individually of the decision without delay. The decision may be renewed by the President in accordance with the procedure under paragraph 2. A decision to renew shall state the reasons on which it is based. The President shall revoke a decision adopted under this Rule as soon as the extraordinary circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 that gave rise to its adoption have disappeared. 5. This Rule shall be applied only as a last resort, and only measures that are strictly necessary to address the extraordinary circumstances under consideration shall be selected and applied. When applying this Rule, due account shall be taken, in particular, of the principle of representative democracy, the principle of equal treatment of Members, the right of Members to exercise their parliamentary mandate without impairment, their right to speak in one of the official languages of the European Union and to vote freely, individually and in person, and Protocol No 6 to the Treaties.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 a (new)
Rule 237a Extraordinary measures 1. This Rule applies to situations in which the European Parliament, due to exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond its control, is hindered from carrying out its duties and exercising its prerogatives under the Treaties and a temporary derogation from Parliament’s usual procedures set out elsewhere in these Rules is necessary in order to adopt extraordinary measures to enable it to continue to carry out those duties and to exercise those prerogatives. Such extraordinary circumstances shall be considered to exist where the President comes to the conclusion, on the basis of reliable evidence confirmed, where appropriate, by Parliament’s services, that for reasons of security or safety or as a result of the non-availability of technical means it is or will be impossible or dangerous for Parliament to convene in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules and its adopted calendar. 2. Where the conditions set out in paragraph 1 are fulfilled, the President may decide, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, to apply one or more of the measures referred to in paragraph 3. If it is impossible, due to reasons of imperative urgency, for the Conference of Presidents to convene, the President may decide to apply one or more of the measures set out in paragraph 3, points (a), (b) and (c). Such a decision shall lapse five days after its adoption unless approved by the Conference of Presidents within that deadline. The measures decided shall be placed on the agenda of the first sitting following the adoption of the decision by the President. If a measure fails to obtain a majority of the votes cast, it shall lapse upon the announcement of the result of the vote 3. The decision referred to in paragraph 2 may provide for all appropriate measures addressing the extraordinary circumstances referred to under paragraph 1, and in particular for the following measures: (a) postponement of a scheduled part- session, sitting or meeting of a committee to a later date and/or cancellation or limitation of meetings of inter- parliamentary delegations and other bodies; (b) displacement of the part-session, sitting or meeting of a committee from Parliament’s seat to one of its working places or to an external place or from one of its working places to Parliament’s seat, to one of Parliament’s other working places or to an external place; (c) holding of the part-session or the sitting on the premises of Parliament but fully or partially in separate meeting rooms allowing for appropriate physical distancing; (d) holding of the part session, sitting or meeting of bodies of Parliament under the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237c; (e) in the event that the ad hoc replacement mechanism laid down in Rule 209(7) fails to provide sufficient remedies to the extraordinary circumstances under consideration, temporary replacement by political groups of Members in a committee unless the Member concerned opposes; 4. A decision referred to in paragraph 2 shall be limited in time and shall state the reasons on which it is based. It shall enter into force upon its publication on Parliament’s website or, if circumstances prevent such publication, by the best available means. All Members shall also be informed individually of the decision without delay. The decision may be renewed by the President in accordance with the procedure under paragraph 2 once or more for a limited time. A decision to renew shall state the reasons on which it is based. The President shall revoke a decision adopted under this Rule as soon as the extraordinary circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 that gave rise to its adoption have disappeared. 5. This Rule shall be applied only as a last resort, and only measures that are strictly necessary to address the extraordinary circumstances under consideration shall be selected and applied. When applying this Rule, due account shall be taken, in particular, of the principle of representative democracy, the principle of equal treatment of Members, the right of Members to exercise their parliamentary mandate without impairment, their right to speak in one of the official languages of the European Union and to vote freely, individually and in person, and Protocol No 6 to the Treaties.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 a (new)
Rule 237a Extraordinary measures 1. This Rule applies to situations in which the European Parliament, due to exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond its control, is hindered from carrying out its duties and exercising its prerogatives under the Treaties and a temporary derogation from Parliament’s usual procedures set out elsewhere in these Rules is necessary in order to adopt extraordinary measures to enable it to continue to carry out those duties and to exercise those prerogatives. Such extraordinary circumstances shall be considered to exist where the President comes to the conclusion, on the basis of reliable evidence confirmed, where appropriate, by Parliament’s services, that for reasons of security or safety or as a result of the non-availability of technical means it is or will be impossible or dangerous for Parliament to convene in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules and its adopted calendar. 2. Where the conditions set out in paragraph 1 are fulfilled, the President may decide, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents and having heard the representative of the non- attached Members, to apply one or more of the measures referred to in paragraph 3. If it is impossible, due to reasons of imperative urgency, for the Conference of Presidents to convene, the President may decide to apply one or more of the measures set out in paragraph 3, points (a), (b) and (c). Such a decision shall lapse five days after its adoption unless approved by the Conference of Presidents within that deadline. Following a decision by the President, approved by the Conference of Presidents, a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold may, at any time, request that some or all of the measures addressed by that decision be submitted individually to Parliament for approval without debate. The vote in plenary shall be placed on the agenda of the first sitting following the day on which the request was tabled. No amendments may be tabled. If a measure fails to obtain a majority of the votes cast, it shall lapse after the announcement of the result of the vote. A measure approved by the plenary may not be the subject of a further vote during the same part-session. 3. The decision referred to in paragraph 2 may provide for all appropriate measures addressing the extraordinary circumstances referred to under paragraph 1, and in particular for the following measures: (a) postponement of a scheduled part- session, sitting or meeting of a committee to a later date and/or cancellation or limitation of meetings of inter- parliamentary delegations and other bodies; (b) displacement of the part-session, sitting or meeting of a committee from Parliament’s seat to one of its working places or to an external place or from one of its working places to Parliament’s seat, to one of Parliament’s other working places or to an external place; (c) holding of the part-session or the sitting on the premises of Parliament but fully or partially in separate meeting rooms allowing for appropriate physical distancing; (d) holding of the part session, sitting or meeting of bodies of Parliament under the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237b; (e) in the event that the ad hoc replacement mechanism laid down in Rule 209(7) fails to provide sufficient remedies to the extraordinary circumstances under consideration, temporary replacement by political groups of Members in a committee unless the Member concerned opposes such a measure; (f) in the event that the remote participation regime laid down in Rule 237b cannot be applied, lowering of the quorum laid down in Rules 178 and 218 to a minimum of one quarter of Parliament’s component Members instead of one third as regards the necessary presence in the Chamber and/or to a minimum of one fifth of the members of a committee instead of one quarter as regards the necessary presence in a committee. 4. A decision referred to in paragraph 2 shall be limited in time and shall state the reasons on which it is based. It shall enter into force upon its publication on Parliament’s website or, if circumstances prevent such publication, by the best available means. All Members shall also be informed individually of the decision without delay. The decision may be renewed by the President in accordance with the procedure under paragraph 2 once or more, for a limited time. A decision to renew shall state the reasons on which it is based. The President shall revoke a decision adopted under this Rule as soon as the extraordinary circumstances referred to in paragraph 1 that gave rise to its adoption have disappeared. 5. This Rule shall be applied only as a last resort, and only measures that are strictly necessary to address the extraordinary circumstances under consideration shall be selected and applied. When applying this Rule, due account shall be taken, in particular, of the principle of representative democracy, the principle of equal treatment of Members, the right of Members to exercise their parliamentary mandate without impairment, their right to speak in one of the official languages of the European Union and to vote freely, individually and in person, and Protocol No 6 to the Treaties.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 b (new)
Rule 237b Impairment of the political balance in Parliament 1. The President may, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, adopt the necessary measures in order to facilitate participation of Members or a political group concerned if, on the basis of reliable evidence, the President comes to the conclusion that the political balance in Parliament is severely impaired because it is impossible or dangerous for a significant number of Members or a political group to take part in Parliament’s proceedings in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules. The sole aim of such measures referred to in paragraph 1 shall be to allow the remote participation of Members concerned by the application of selected technical means under Rule 237c(1) or by other appropriate means serving the same purpose. 2. The President may, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, adopt the measures provided for under Rule 237a(3), point (a) if, on the basis of reliable evidence, the President comes to the conclusion that the political balance in Parliament is severely impaired because it is impossible or dangerous for a significant number of Members or a political group to take part in Parliament’s proceedings, in person or by remote connection, in accordance with its adopted calendar. 3. Measures under paragraphs 1 and 2 may be adopted if a significant number of Members are affected by exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond their control. In assessing whether a significant number of Members are involved, severe impairment of the political balance shall be the decisive factor, in line with the principle of degressively proportional representation set out in Article 14 TEU. Measures may be taken in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2, to the extent that they are suitable, necessary and proportionate. 4. Rule 237a(2), third fourth and fifth subparagraphs, and the rules and principles laid down in Rule 237a(4) and (5) shall apply accordingly.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 b (new)
(Does not affect the English version)
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Andrea BOCSKOR, Andor DELI, Tamás DEUTSCH, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Kinga GÁL, Enikő GYŐRI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, Edina TÓTH, József SZÁJER, Ádám KÓSA
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 b (new)
Rule 237b Disturbance of the political balance in Parliament 1. The President may, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, adopt the necessary measures in order to facilitate participation of Members or a political group concerned if, on the basis of reliable evidence, the President comes to the conclusion that the political balance in Parliament resulting from the election is severely impaired because a significant number of Members or a political group cannot take part in Parliament’s proceedings in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules, for reasons of security or safety or as a result of the non- availability of technical means. The sole aim of such measures shall be to allow the remote participation of Members concerned by the application of selected technical means under Rule 237c(1) or by other appropriate means serving the same purpose. 2. Measures under paragraph 1 may be adopted for the benefit of a significant number of Members if exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond their control occurring in a regional context lead to their non-participation. Measures under paragraph 1 may also be adopted for the benefit of members of a political group if that group has requested them where the non-participation of a group results from exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of that group. 3. Rule 237a(2), second and third subparagraphs, and the rules and principles laid down in Rule 237a(4) and (5) shall apply accordingly.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 c (new)
Rule 237c Disturbance of the political balance in Parliament 1. The President may, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents and having heard the representative of the non-attached Members, adopt the necessary measures in order to facilitate participation of Members or a political group concerned if, on the basis of reliable evidence, the President comes to the conclusion that the political balance in Parliament is severely impaired because a significant number of Members or a political group cannot take part in Parliament’s proceedings in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules, for reasons of security or safety or as a result of the non-availability of technical means. The sole aim of such measures shall be to allow the remote participation of Members concerned by the application of selected technical means under Rule 237c(1) or by other appropriate means serving the same purpose. 2. Measures under paragraph 1 may be adopted for the benefit of a significant number of Members if exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond their control occurring in a regional context lead to their non-participation. Measures under paragraph 1 may also be adopted for the benefit of members of a political group if that group has requested them where the non-participation of a group results from exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of that group. 3. Rule 237a(2), second and third subparagraphs, and the rules and principles laid down in Rule 237a(4) and (5) shall apply accordingly.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 c (new)
Rule 237c Remote participation regime 1. Where the President decides under Rule 237a(2), to apply the remote participation regime by adopting a measure under Rule 237a(3), point (d), Parliament may conduct its proceedings remotely inter alia by permitting all Members to exercise certain of their parliamentary rights by electronic means. Where the President decides in accordance with Rule 237c that selected technical means under the remote participation regime are to be used, this Rule shall apply only to the necessary extent and only to the Members concerned. 2. The remote participation regime shall ensure that : – Members are able to exercise their parliamentary mandate, including, in particular, their right to speak in plenary and in the committees, to vote and to table texts, without impairment; – all votes are cast by Members individually and in person; – the remote voting system enables Members to cast ordinary votes, roll call votes and secret ballots; – a uniform voting system is applied for all Members, whether present or not on Parliament’s premises; – translation and interpretation services are provided to the greatest possible extent; – the information technology solutions made available to Members and their staff are ‘technology neutral’; – participation of Members in parliamentary debates and votes takes place using secure electronic means that are managed by Parliament’s services directly . 3. When taking the decision referred to in paragraph 1, the President shall determine whether that regime applies to the exercise of Members’ rights in plenary only, or also to the exercise of Members’ rights in Parliament’s committees and/or other bodies. The President shall also determine in his or her decision how rights and practices which cannot be exercised appropriately without the Members’ physical presence are adapted for the duration of the regime. These rights and practices concern, inter alia: – the manner in which attendance at a sitting or meeting is counted; – the conditions under which a request for a check of the quorum is made, – the tabling of texts; – the allocation of speaking time; – the scheduling of debates; – the presentation of, and the objection to, oral amendments; – the order of votes; – the deadlines and time limits for the setting of the agenda and for procedural motions. 4. For the purposes of the application of the provisions of the Rules relating to quorum and voting in the Chamber, Members who are participating remotely shall be deemed to be physically present in the Chamber. By way of derogation from Rule 171(11), Members who have not spoken in a debate may, once per sitting, hand in a written statement, which shall be appended to the verbatim report of the debate. The President shall, where necessary, determine the manner in which the Chamber may be used by Members during the application of the remote participation regime, and in particular the maximum number of Members who can be physically present. 5. Where the President decides in accordance with paragraph 3, first subparagraph, to apply the remote participation regime to committees or other bodies, paragraph 4, first subparagraph, shall apply, mutatis mutandis. 6. The Bureau shall adopt measures concerning the operation and security of the electronic means used under this Rule, in accordance with the requirements and standards laid down in paragraph 2. 7. Parliament’s competent bodies shall take all measures, including financial measures, necessary to ensure the availability of state-of-the-art technology and optimal conditions for the effective implementation of Rules 237a to 237d.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 c (new)
Rule 237c Remote participation regime 1. Where the President decides under Rule 237a(2), to apply the remote participation regime by adopting a measure under Rule 237a(3), point (d), Parliament may conduct its proceedings remotely inter alia by permitting all Members to exercise their parliamentary rights by electronic means. Where the President decides in accordance with Rule 237b that selected technical means under the remote participation regime are to be used, this Rule shall apply only to the necessary extent and only to the Members concerned. 2. The remote participation regime shall ensure that the European Parliament retains its ability to work under all circumstances and, in particular, that : – Members are able to exercise their parliamentary mandate, including, in particular, their right to speak in plenary and in the committees, to vote and to table texts, without impairment, to guarantee parliamentary scrutiny and the further development of European policies, e.g. right of initiative; – all votes are cast by Members individually and in person; – the remote voting system enables Members to cast ordinary votes, roll call votes and secret ballots; – a uniform voting system is applied for all Members, whether present or not on Parliament’s premises; – translation and interpretation services are provided to the greatest possible extent, in accordance with Rule 167; – the information technology solutions made available to Members and their staff are ‘technology neutral’; – participation of Members in parliamentary debates and votes takes place using secure electronic means that are managed and supervised by Parliament’s services. 3. When taking the decision referred to in paragraph 1, the President shall determine whether that regime applies to the exercise of Members’ rights in plenary only, or also to the exercise of Members’ rights in Parliament’s committees and/or other bodies. The President shall also determine in his or her decision how rights and practices which cannot be exercised appropriately without the Members’ physical presence are adapted for the duration of the regime. These rights and practices concern, inter alia: – the manner in which attendance at a sitting or meeting is counted; – the conditions under which a request for a check of the quorum is made, – the tabling of texts; – the allocation of speaking time; – the scheduling of debates; – the presentation of, and the objection to, oral amendments; – the order of votes; – the deadlines and time limits for the setting of the agenda and for procedural motions. 4. For the purposes of the application of the provisions of the Rules relating to quorum and voting in the Chamber, Members who are participating remotely shall be deemed to be physically present in the Chamber. By way of derogation from Rule 171(11), Members who have not spoken in a debate may, once per sitting, hand in a written statement, which shall be appended to the verbatim report of the debate. The President shall, where necessary, determine the manner in which the Chamber may be used by Members during the application of the remote participation regime, and in particular the maximum number of Members who can be physically present. 5. Where the President decides in accordance with paragraph 3, first subparagraph, to apply the remote participation regime to committees or other bodies, paragraph 4, first subparagraph, shall apply, mutatis mutandis. 6. The Bureau shall adopt measures concerning the operation and security of the electronic means used under this Rule, in accordance with the requirements and standards laid down in paragraph 2. 7. Parliament’s competent bodies shall take all measures, including financial measures, necessary to ensure the availability of state-of-the-art technology and optimal conditions for the effective implementation of Rules 237a to 237d. (This amendment corresponds to Amendment 4 of the Rapporteur, Rule 237c (new).)
Rules of Procedure
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 c (new) Rule 237c Remote participation regime 1. Where the President decides under Rule 237a(2), to apply the remote participation regime by adopting a measure under Rule 237a(3), point (d), Parliament may conduct its proceedings remotely inter alia by permitting all Members to exercise certain of their parliamentary rights by electronic means. Where the President decides in accordance with Rule 237b that selected technical means under the remote participation regime are to be used, this Rule shall apply only to the necessary extent and only to the Members concerned. 2. The remote participation regime shall ensure that : – Members are able to exercise their parliamentary mandate, including, in particular, their right to speak in plenary and in the committees, to vote and to table texts, without impairment; – all votes are cast by Members individually and in person; – The remote voting system guarantees the integrity of votes by enabling Members to verify that their votes are counted as cast; – All votes, except for specific votes where these Rules of Procedure provide for a secret ballot, shall be taken by roll call votes; – a uniform voting system is applied for all Members, whether present or not on Parliament’s premises; – translation and interpretation services are provided to the greatest possible extent; – the information technology solutions made available to Members and their staff are ‘technology neutral’; – participation of Members in parliamentary debates and votes takes place using secure electronic means that are managed and supervised by Parliament’s services. 3. When taking the decision referred to in paragraph 1, the President shall determine whether that regime applies to the exercise of Members’ rights in plenary only, or also to the exercise of Members’ rights in Parliament’s committees and/or other bodies. The President shall also determine in his or her decision how rights and practices which cannot be exercised appropriately without the Members’ physical presence are adapted for the duration of the regime. These rights and practices concern, inter alia: – the manner in which attendance at a sitting or meeting is counted; – the conditions under which a request for a check of the quorum is made, – the tabling of texts; – the allocation of speaking time; – the scheduling of debates; – the presentation of, and the objection to, oral amendments; – the order of votes; – the deadlines and time limits for the setting of the agenda and for procedural motions. 4. For the purposes of the application of the provisions of the Rules relating to quorum and voting in the Chamber, Members who are participating remotely shall be deemed to be physically present in the Chamber. By way of derogation from Rule 171(11), Members who have not spoken in a debate may, once per sitting, hand in a written statement, which shall be appended to the verbatim report of the debate. 5. Where the President decides in accordance with paragraph 3, first subparagraph, to apply the remote participation regime to committees or other bodies, paragraph 4, first subparagraph, shall apply, mutatis mutandis. 6. The Bureau shall adopt measures concerning the operation and security of the electronic means used under this Rule, in accordance with the requirements and standards laid down in paragraph 2. 7. Parliament’s competent bodies shall take all measures, including financial measures, necessary to ensure the availability of state-of-the-art technology and optimal conditions for the effective implementation of Rules 237a to 237d.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 c (new)
Rule 237c Remote participation regime 1. Where the President, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, decides under Rule 237a(2), to apply the remote participation regime by adopting a measure under Rule 237a(3), point (d), Parliament may conduct its proceedings remotely inter alia by permitting all Members to exercise their parliamentary rights by electronic means. Where the President, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, decides in accordance with Rule 237b that selected technical means under the remote participation regime are to be used, this Rule shall apply only in so far as it is suitable, necessary and proportionate and only to the Members concerned. The remote participation regime shall ensure that : - Members are able to exercise their parliamentary mandate, including, in particular, their right to speak in plenary and in the committees, to vote and to table texts, without impairment; - all votes are cast by Members individually and in person; - the remote voting system enables Members to cast ordinary votes, roll call votes and secret ballots; - a uniform voting system is applied for all Members, whether present or not on Parliament’s premises; - translation and interpretation services are provided to the greatest possible extent; - the information technology solutions made available to Members and their staff are ‘technology neutral’; - participation of Members in parliamentary debates and votes takes place using secure electronic means that are managed and supervised by Parliament’s services. 3. When taking the decision referred to in paragraph 1, the President shall, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, determine whether that regime applies to the exercise of Members’ rights in plenary only, or also to the exercise of Members’ rights in Parliament’s committees and/or other bodies. The President, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, shall also determine in his or her decision how rights and practices which cannot be exercised appropriately without the Members’ physical presence are adapted for the duration of the regime. These rights and practices concern, inter alia: - the manner in which attendance at a sitting or meeting is counted; - the conditions under which a request for a check of the quorum is made; - the tabling of texts; - requests for split or separate votes; - the allocation of speaking time; - the scheduling of debates; - the presentation of, and objection to, oral amendments; - the order of votes; - the deadlines and time limits for the setting of the agenda and for procedural motions. 4. For the purposes of the application of the provisions of the Rules relating to quorum and voting in the Chamber, Members who are participating remotely shall be deemed to be physically present in the Chamber. By way of derogation from Rule 171(11), Members who have not spoken in a debate may, once per sitting, hand in a written statement, which shall be appended to the verbatim report of the debate. Where necessary, the President shall, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, determine the manner in which the Chamber may be used by Members during the application of the remote participation regime, and in particular the maximum number of Members who can be physically present. 5. Where the President, with the agreement of the Conference of Ministers, decides in accordance with paragraph 3, first subparagraph, to apply the remote participation regime to committees or other bodies, paragraph 4, first subparagraph, shall apply, mutatis mutandis. 6. The Bureau shall adopt measures concerning the operation and security of the electronic means used under this Rule, in accordance with the requirements and standards laid down in paragraph 2. 7. Parliament’s competent bodies shall take all measures, including financial measures, necessary to ensure the availability of state-of-the-art technology and optimal conditions for the effective implementation of Rules 237a to 237d. To this end, they shall comply in full with the principles of sound administration and diligent financial management.
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Andrea BOCSKOR, Andor DELI, Tamás DEUTSCH, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Kinga GÁL, Enikő GYŐRI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, Edina TÓTH, József SZÁJER, Ádám KÓSA
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 c (new)
Rule 237c Remote participation regime 1. Where the President decides under Rule 237a(2), to apply the remote participation regime by adopting a measure under Rule 237a(3), point (d), Parliament may conduct its proceedings remotely inter alia by permitting all Members to exercise certain of their parliamentary rights by electronic means. Where the President decides in accordance with Rule 237b that selected technical means under the remote participation regime are to be used, this Rule shall apply only to the necessary extent and only to the Members concerned. 2. The remote participation regime shall ensure that : – Members are able to exercise their parliamentary mandate, including, in particular, their right to speak in plenary and in the committees, to vote and to table texts, without impairment; – all votes are cast by Members individually and in person; – the remote voting system enables Members to cast ordinary votes, roll call votes and secret ballots; – a uniform voting system is applied for all Members, whether present or not on Parliament’s premises; – translation and interpretation services are provided to the greatest possible extent; – the information technology solutions made available to Members and their staff are ‘technology neutral’; – participation of Members in parliamentary debates and votes takes place using secure electronic means that are managed and supervised by Parliament’s services. At the same time, this amendment derogates from Rule 178 and explicitly allows the remote voting system to be used to check the quorum; 3. When taking the decision referred to in paragraph 1, the President shall determine whether that regime applies to the exercise of Members’ rights in plenary only, or also to the exercise of Members’ rights in Parliament’s committees and/or other bodies. The President shall also determine in his or her decision how rights and practices which cannot be exercised appropriately without the Members’ physical presence are adapted for the duration of the regime. These rights and practices concern, inter alia: – the manner in which attendance at a sitting or meeting is counted; – the conditions under which a request for a check of the quorum is made, – the tabling of texts; – the presentation of, and the objection to, oral amendments; – the order of votes; – the deadlines and time limits for the setting of the agenda and for procedural motions. 4. For the purposes of the application of the provisions of the Rules relating to quorum and voting in the Chamber, Members who are participating remotely shall be deemed to be physically present in the Chamber. By way of derogation from Rule 171(11), Members who have not spoken in a debate may, three times per sitting, hand in a written statement, which shall be appended to the verbatim report of the debate. The President shall, where necessary, determine the manner in which the Chamber may be used by Members during the application of the remote participation regime, and in particular the maximum number of Members who can be physically present. 5. Where the President decides in accordance with paragraph 3, first subparagraph, to apply the remote participation regime to committees or other bodies, paragraph 4, first subparagraph, shall apply, mutatis mutandis. 6. The Bureau shall adopt measures concerning the operation and security of the electronic means used under this Rule, in accordance with the requirements and standards laid down in paragraph 2 and after consultation with the Quaestors. 7. Parliament’s competent bodies shall take all measures, including financial measures, necessary to ensure the availability of state-of-the-art technology and optimal conditions for the effective implementation of Rules 237a to 237d.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 c (new)
Rule 237c Remote participation regime 1. Where the President decides under Rule 237a(2), to apply the remote participation regime by adopting a measure under Rule 237a(3), point (d), Parliament may conduct its proceedings remotely inter alia by permitting all Members to exercise certain of their parliamentary rights by electronic means. Where the President decides in accordance with Rule 237b that selected technical means under the remote participation regime are to be used, this Rule shall apply only to the necessary extent and only to the Members concerned. 2. The remote participation regime shall ensure that : – Members are able to exercise their parliamentary mandate, including, in particular, their right to speak in plenary and in the committees, regardless of whether or not they belong to a political group, to vote and to table texts, without impairment; – all votes are cast by Members individually and in person; – the remote voting system enables Members to cast ordinary votes, roll call votes and secret ballots; – a uniform voting system is applied for all Members, whether present or not on Parliament’s premises; – translation and interpretation services are provided to the greatest possible extent; – the information technology solutions made available to Members and their staff are ‘technology neutral’; – participation of Members in parliamentary debates and votes takes place using secure electronic means that are managed and supervised by Parliament’s services. 3. When taking the decision referred to in paragraph 1, the President shall determine whether that regime applies to the exercise of Members’ rights in plenary only, or also to the exercise of Members’ rights in Parliament’s committees and/or other bodies. The President shall also determine in his or her decision how rights and practices which cannot be exercised appropriately without the Members’ physical presence are adapted for the duration of the regime. These rights and practices concern, inter alia: – the manner in which attendance at a sitting or meeting is counted; – the conditions under which a request for a check of the quorum is made; – the tabling of texts; – the allocation of speaking time; – the scheduling of debates; – the presentation of, and the objection to, oral amendments; – the order of votes; – the deadlines and time limits for the setting of the agenda and for procedural motions. 4. For the purposes of the application of the provisions of the Rules relating to quorum and voting in the Chamber, Members who are participating remotely shall be deemed to be physically present in the Chamber. By way of derogation from Rule 171(11), Members who have not spoken in a debate may, once per sitting, hand in a written statement, which shall be appended to the verbatim report of the debate. The President shall, where necessary, determine the manner in which the Chamber may be used by Members during the application of the remote participation regime, and in particular the maximum number of Members who can be physically present. 5. Where the President decides in accordance with paragraph 3, first subparagraph, to apply the remote participation regime to committees or other bodies, paragraph 4, first subparagraph, shall apply, mutatis mutandis. 6. The Bureau shall adopt measures concerning the operation and security of the electronic means used under this Rule, in accordance with the requirements and standards laid down in paragraph 2. 7. Parliament’s competent bodies shall take all measures, including financial measures, necessary to ensure the availability of state-of-the-art technology and optimal conditions for the effective implementation of Rules 237a to 237d.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 d (new)
Rule 237d Holding of the plenary sitting in separate meeting rooms Where the President, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, decides in accordance with Rule 237a(3), point (c), to allow a plenary sitting of Parliament to be held in whole or in part in more than one meeting room, including, where appropriate, the Chamber, the following rules shall apply: - the meeting rooms used in this context shall be considered to collectively constitute the Chamber; - if necessary, the President may, with the agreement of the Conference of Presidents, determine the manner in which the respective meeting rooms can be used, in order to ensure that physical distancing requirements are respected.
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Andrea BOCSKOR, Andor DELI, Tamás DEUTSCH, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Kinga GÁL, Enikő GYŐRI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, Edina TÓTH, József SZÁJER, Ádám KÓSA
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 d (new)
Rule 237d Holding of the plenary session in separate meeting rooms Where the President decides in accordance with Rule 237a(3), point (c), to allow a plenary session of Parliament to be held in whole or in part in more than one meeting room, including, where appropriate, the hemicycle, the following rules shall apply: – the meeting rooms used in this context shall be considered to collectively constitute the Chamber; – the President may, if necessary, determine the manner in which the respective meeting rooms can be used, in order to ensure that physical distancing requirements are respected.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 e (new)
Rule 237e Parliamentary business during a period of extraordinary circumstances 1. Without delay after the adoption of a decision by the President under Rule 237a(2), the Conference of Presidents shall identify those activities which are essential and urgent for Parliament during the period of extraordinary circumstances referred to in Rule 237a(1). Those activities shall include measures that need to be taken with regard to the extraordinary circumstances, to budgetary matters, to urgent legislative procedures, or to major political events. This list of activities should be continuously revised when the situation of extraordinary circumstances becomes the 'new normal'. 2. During the period of validity of a decision adopted under Rule 237a(2), the parliamentary business conducted in part- sessions and committee meetings shall be limited to the consideration and adoption of measures identified as essential and urgent by the Conference of Presidents in accordance with paragraph 1. (This amendment corresponds to Amendment 6 of the Rapporteur, Rule 237e (new).)
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Andrea BOCSKOR, Andor DELI, Tamás DEUTSCH, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Kinga GÁL, Enikő GYŐRI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, Edina TÓTH, József SZÁJER, Ádám KÓSA
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 e (new)
Rule 237e Parliamentary business during a period of extraordinary circumstances 1. Without delay after the adoption of a decision by the President under Rule 237a(2), the Conference of Presidents shall identify those activities which are essential and urgent for Parliament during the period of extraordinary circumstances referred to in Rule 237a(1), taking into account the opinion of the Conference of Committee Chairs. Those activities shall include measures that need to be taken with regard to the extraordinary circumstances, to budgetary matters, to urgent legislative procedures, or to major political events. 2. During the period of validity of a decision adopted under Rule 237a(2), the parliamentary business conducted in part- sessions and committee meetings shall be limited to the consideration and adoption of measures identified as essential and urgent by the Conference of Presidents taking into account the opinion of the Conference of Committee Chairs in accordance with paragraph 1. 3. Within two months after the adoption or modification of the rules regarding extraordinary circumstances under Title XIIIa, the President of the European Parliament shall initiate the procedure of Article 263 TFEU to review the legality of the modification of the Rules of Procedure and ensure that the modification is in line with the principle of the rule of law and democracy.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 e (new)
Rule 237e Parliamentary business during a period of extraordinary circumstances 1. Without delay after the adoption of a decision by the President under Rule 237a(2), the Conference of Presidents shall issue general guidelines for those activities that are essential and urgent for Parliament during the period of extraordinary circumstances referred to in Rule 237a(1). Those activities shall include measures that need to be taken with regard to the extraordinary circumstances, to budgetary matters, to urgent legislative procedures or to major political events. 2. During the period of validity of a decision adopted under Rule 237(2), the parliamentary business conducted in part- sessions and committee meetings shall, in principle, be limited to the consideration and adoption of measures identified as essential by the Conference of Presidents in accordance with paragraph 1. A committee, political group or a number of Members reaching at least the low threshold may at any time request the Conference of Presidents to consider an activity as essential. Where the Conference of Presidents rejects such a request, it shall state its reasons for doing so.
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Tamás DEUTSCH, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Kinga GÁL, Enikő GYŐRI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, Edina TÓTH, József SZÁJER, Ádám KÓSA, Andrea BOCSKOR, Andor DELI
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 f (new)
Rule 237f Members with disabilities The European Parliament, to the best of its capabilities, shall ensure reasonable accommodation for Members with disabilities and their staff in the course of operating under extraordinary circumstances described in this Title.
Title XIII a (new) – rule 237 g (new)
Rule 237g Electronic procedures 1. In the event of conditions which prevent Parliament from meeting normally, or from organising meetings with its Members as a result of an extraordinary situation over an extended period of time, the President, having heard the Bureau, shall declare the changeover from ordinary procedures to the use of electronic procedures, including the option of electronic voting, for the performance of parliamentary activities, so as to ensure maximum continuity for those activities. Parliament shall confirm that decision at its first possible plenary session, voting by an absolute majority of its Members. 2. Where a number of Members or one or more political groups, at least equal to the medium threshold, so request, Parliament may call for the President's decision to use electronic procedures to be revoked, and for a return to ordinary procedures, voting by an absolute majority of its component members.
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Andrea BOCSKOR, Andor DELI, Tamás DEUTSCH, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Kinga GÁL, Enikő GYŐRI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, Edina TÓTH, József SZÁJER, Ádám KÓSA
Proposal for a decision
Citation -1 (new) -1 having regard to Parliament's roles, functions and competences laid down in the Treaties,
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Kinga GÁL, Enikő GYŐRI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, Edina TÓTH, József SZÁJER, Ádám KÓSA, Andrea BOCSKOR, Andor DELI, Tamás DEUTSCH
Proposal for a decision
Citation -1 a (new) -1a having regard to the primary obligation of the institutions of the European Union to safeguard the rule of law also in their own functioning,
László TRÓCSÁNYI, Andrea BOCSKOR, Andor DELI, Tamás DEUTSCH, Lívia JÁRÓKA, Kinga GÁL, Enikő GYŐRI, György HÖLVÉNYI, Balázs HIDVÉGHI, Edina TÓTH, József SZÁJER, Ádám KÓSA
Proposal for a decision
Citation -1 b (new) -1b having regard to the rights of persons with disabilities and to the European Parliament resolution of 7 July 2016 on the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, with special regard to the Concluding Observations of the UN CRPD Committee1a ; _________________ 1a OJ C 101, 16.3.2018, p. 138.
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S&D)
EPP),
DURAND Pascal (
Renew),
ANNEMANS Gerolf (
ID),
DELBOS-CORFIELD Gwendoline (
Verts/ALE),
BOURGEOIS Geert (
ECR),
SCHOLZ Helmut (
GUE/NGL),
CASTALDO Fabio Massimo (
NA)