Changes between two versions
What changed between the draft committee report and the plenary report
From · draft committee report· 7 Jan 2026
on the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission
To · plenary report· 27 Feb 2026
on the revision of the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission
AI:What changed, in short
The revised agreement strengthens Parliament's oversight role, adding requirements for commissioner presence at Question Time and detailed information on the College.65 New provisions stress compliance with the Treaties and institutional balance, and add commitments on impact assessments and monitoring of the agreement.1312 Several changes rephrase existing commitments without altering their substance, such as on urgent requests and international agreements.4789 One formal change corrects the addressee of the signing instruction from Council to Commission and renumbers the paragraph.13
6 changes of substance · 1 formal · 6 of wording only
Written by AI from the two texts only · read the changes before relying on it · 4 Sept 2026 · Report a problem
Changes to the text itself, in document order. Cover page, citations and punctuation-only edits are left out; they are under “Every difference”.
Changes of substance · 6
Change 1 Substance
AI summary:Adds a clause stating that interinstitutional agreements must comply with the Treaties and the principle of conferral, which does not allow extension of EU competences.
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Changed:A. whereas the Treaties provide for an express legal basis for interinstitutional agreements, which allows for the conclusion of such agreements in compliance with the Treaties, including the principle of conferral, which does not allow for any extension of the competences of the EU institutions beyond the scope of the Treaties,
Change 2 Substance
AI summary:Extends the recital to note that the Framework Agreement seeks to ensure consistency with the Treaties and give practical effect to Parliament's control, scrutiny and budgetary prerogatives.
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Changed:E. whereas the Framework Agreement on relations between the Parliament and the Commission dates back to 2010, and interinstitutional cooperation has evolved significantly since then, as reflected in the “Parliament 2024” reform and the subsequent revision of the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure adopted in April 2024,2024; and whereas the Framework Agreement seeks to ensure consistency with the Treaties and to give practical effect to the European Parliament’s control, scrutiny and budgetary prerogatives,
Change 3 Substance
AI summary:Replaces the old recital F and paragraph 1 with new versions emphasizing institutional balance and sincere cooperation, and stating the revised agreement strengthens political responsibility and legitimacy.
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Removed:F. whereas a joint assessment of the implementation of the Framework Agreement carried out at technical level, in agreement with the President of the Commission, emphasised the need to update and improve some of its provisions in respect of Parliament’s legislative, budgetary and scrutiny prerogatives,
Added:F. whereas the two Institutions attach the utmost importance to the principle of institutional balance and the principle of mutual sincere cooperation, as enshrined in Article 13(2) TEU,
Removed:1. Considers the revised agreement a substantive institutional advance for Parliament in its relations with the Commission;
Added:G. whereas a joint assessment of the implementation of the Framework Agreement carried out at technical level, in agreement with the President of the Commission, emphasised the need to update and improve some of its provisions so as to better reflect the institutional balance and to fully implement Parliament’s prerogatives as enshrined in the Treaties, in respect of Parliament’s legislative, budgetary and scrutiny prerogatives,
Added:1. Considers the revised agreement to be an institutional advance for Parliament in its relations with the Commission, while stressing that any such advance must have a basis in the Treaties; considers that the revised agreement strengthens political responsibility and legitimacy, extends constructive dialogue, improves the flow of information between the two Institutions and improves cooperation on procedures and planning, including powers of scrutiny and inquiry;
Change 5 Substance
AI summary:Adds two new bullet points: one on the President-elect providing detailed information on the incoming College, and one on the Commission's commitment to transparent and independent impact assessments.
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Added:– the obligation of the President-elect to present to Parliament detailed information on the composition of the incoming College of Commissioners, including its planned structure;
Added:– the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that its impact assessments are conducted under its responsibility through a transparent procedure that guarantees an independent assessment;
2 more changes of substance
Change 6 Substance
AI summary:Adds a clause specifying that during Question Time, commissioners with relevant portfolios will be present for up to 90 minutes to ensure meaningful debate.
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Changed:– the assurance that Members of the Commission will in general be summoned by Parliament as part of its political oversight function, and that Parliament maycan request that a specific commissioner be present in plenary where an agenda item so justifies; in particular, the assurance that, during Question Time, for a duration of up to 90 minutes, Members of the Commission whose portfolios relate to the theme of the questions will be present, in order to ensure a meaningful, open, and democratic debate between Members of the European Parliament and Members of the Commission;
Change 12 Substance
AI summary:Adds three new paragraphs: on democratic scrutiny requiring political responsibility, regretting the Commission's failure to indicate impact assessments, and expecting full compliance with monitoring.
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Added:3. Considers that democratic scrutiny over the Commission not only requires an appropriate legal framework, but also a sense of political responsibility and commitment; draws attention to the formal exchange between Members of Parliament and the Commission during the plenary session, including during Question Time, as a cornerstone of European democracy; commits to further invest in and to foster a parliamentary culture so that attendance of those sessions is ensured on both sides, enabling a meaningful and substantive exchange between Parliament and Commission;
Added:4. Regrets the Commission’s failure to indicate whether new legislative initiatives will be accompanied by an impact assessment, and to provide a proper justification where no impact assessment is provided;
Added:5. Expects the Commission to fully comply with both the new and existing provisions of the Agreement. Regular monitoring by the European Parliament of the Agreement’s implementation should be put in place from its entry into force;
1 formal change: legal basis, citations, references, corrections
Change 13 Formal
AI summary:Changes the paragraph number from 4 to 7 and corrects the addressee from 'Council' to 'Commission' in the instruction to sign the agreement.
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Changed:4.7. Instructs its President to sign the agreement with the President of the CouncilCommission and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;
6 changes of wording only
Change 4 Wording
AI summary:Rephrases the description of the flow of information to Parliament, changing 'timely and detailed' to 'timely, detailed and transparent' and adding 'enabling meaningful democratic scrutiny'.
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Changed:– the affirmation of the principle of equal treatment of Parliament and Council and the role of the Commission as an honest broker, in particular by ensuring a comprehensive, timelytimely, detailed and detailedtransparent flow of information to Parliament,Parliament enabling meaningful democratic scrutiny, as shown by the commitment to inform the Parliament of policy initiatives and legislative proposals not included in the Commission Work Programme, and to present key initiatives in plenary immediately after their adoption by the college of commissioners;
Change 7 Wording
AI summary:Rephrases the condition for replacement of a commissioner by a high-ranking official, changing 'only in case' to 'only in the event that' and adding 'that'.
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Changed:– the obligation for Members of the Commission to attend committee meetings, and that only in casethe event that the presence of a commissioner is not explicitly required, can he or she be replaced by a high-ranking official who is in a position to provide substantive answers to questions from the committee members;
Change 8 Wording
AI summary:Changes 'shall' to 'will' in the commitment for the Commissioner to attend committee meetings when withdrawing a proposal.
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Changed:– the commitment of the Commission that, whenever it intends to withdraw a proposal, the competent Member of the Commission shallwill attend the committees’ meetings to discuss that intention;
Change 9 Wording
AI summary:Rephrases the commitment on justification for Article 122 TFEU cases, changing punctuation and word order without altering meaning.
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Changed:– the commitment of the Commission to provide a comprehensive justification of, and information onon, the exceptional and emergency cases where its proposals are based on Article 122 TFEU;TFEU, both when submitting the request to Parliament and after the implementation of the legal act concerned;
Change 10 Wording
AI summary:Rephrases the commitment on urgent requests, changing 'to do so' to 'it will do so' and removing 'to' before 'provide'.
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Changed:– the commitment of the Commission,Commission that, whenever it requests the Parliament to decide urgently on a proposal, toit will do so in writing and to provide a justification for the request;
Change 11 Wording
AI summary:Rephrases the flow of information on international agreements, changing 'thus' to 'at all stages of the negotiation, thereby'.
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Changed:– the improved flow of information regarding international agreements,agreements thusat all stages of the negotiation, thereby strengthening democratic accountability and transparency in external policy;