amendment list, 8 April 2025
Amendments to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure implementing the Agreement establishing the Ethics Body
Document AFCO-AM-772133 · (2025/2044(REG))
Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Full text
Text 36 paragraphs
Amendment 10
Daniel Freund
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Parliament’s Rules of Procedure
Rule 239 a (new)
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Rule 239a | |
| Proposal of candidates for the role of independent experts of the Ethics Body | |
| The committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure may propose candidates as independent experts of the Ethics Body in accordance with Article 5(2) of the Agreement on the Ethics Body. | |
| The representative or, if applicable, the alternate representative shall transmit the proposal to the Ethics Body. | |
| The committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure shall propose only such candidates as independent experts who have professional experience specifically in the areas of ethics, integrity and transparency, in addition to the requirements outlined in Article 5(2) of the Agreement on the Ethics Body, namely an impeccable record of professional behaviour and experience in high-level positions in European, national, or international public organisations. However, this shall not apply to the first proposal of independent experts in accordance with Article 22(1) of the Agreement on the Ethics Body. |
Or. en
Justification
A procedure for selecting the candidate proposed by Parliament for the role of independent expert needs to be laid down (Article 5(2) of the Agreement on the Ethics Body). It should be clarified in this procedure that the EP representative transmits to the Ethics Body the proposal by the committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure. Moreover, in line with paragraph 7 of the European Parliament decision of 25 April 2024 on the conclusion of the interinstitutional agreement on the Ethics Body, it is important to specify that Parliament only proposes candidates as independent experts, who have professional experience specifically in the areas of ethics, integrity and transparency.
Amendment 11
Daniel Freund
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Read the rest (24 paragraphs)
Parliament’s Rules of Procedure
Rule 239 b (new)
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Rule 239b | |
| Abstract interpretations of common minimum standards by the Ethics Body | |
| 1. The President, the committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure, or the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members1a may request the representative or, if applicable, the alternate representative to ask the Ethics Body for an abstract interpretation of common minimum standards pursuant to Article 6(2), point (d), of the Agreement on the Ethics Body. | |
| 2. Whenever the Ethics Body provides an abstract interpretation of common minimum standards pursuant to Article 6(2), point (d), of the Agreement on the Ethics Body, that interpretation shall be published on Parliament’s website. | |
| 1a As established by Article 10 of Annex I. |
Or. en
Justification
The President, the committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure, or the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members should be able to request through the representative on the Ethics Body an abstract interpretation of common minimum standards. All abstract interpretations provided by the Ethics Body should be published on Parliament’s website (Article 6(2), point (d), of the Agreement on the Ethics Body).
Amendment 12
Daniel Freund
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Parliament’s Rules of Procedure
Rule 239 c (new)
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Rule 239c | |
| Consultation of the independent experts of the Ethics Body | |
| 1. The President, the committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure, or the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members may decide to consult and submit questions to the independent experts of the Ethics Body in accordance with Article 7(1) of the Agreement on the Ethics Body for the purpose of developing or updating an ethical standard. The President, the committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure, or the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members shall publish their decision in response to the written opinion, together with their reasons if they decide to deviate from it. | |
| 2. The President or the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members may consult and submit questions to the independent experts of the Ethics Body in accordance with Article 7(1) of the Agreement on the Ethics Body for cases which require specific consideration. The President or the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members shall publish their decision in response to the written opinion, together with their reasons if they decide to deviate from it. | |
| 3. Pursuant to Article 7(3) of the Agreement on the Ethics Body, the independent experts shall provide Parliament with a confidential and non-binding written opinion in response to the consultation or the questions. Parliament shall keep that written opinion confidential until a decision in response to it has been taken. Parliament shall then publish the written opinion, together with the questions to the independent experts of the Ethics Body. |
Or. en
Justification
The President, the committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure, or the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members should be able to consult and submit questions to the independent experts of the Ethics Body for the purpose of developing or updating an ethical standard (Article 7(1) of the Agreement on the Ethics Body). The President or the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members established by Article 10 of Annex I to these Rules of Procedure should be able to consult and submit questions to the independent experts of the Ethics Body for cases which require specific consideration (Article 7(1) of the Agreement on the Ethics Body). In line with paragraph 11 of the European Parliament decision of 25 April 2024 on the conclusion of the interinstitutional agreement on the Ethics Body, the written opinion of the independent experts, without prejudice to the General Data Protection Regulation and personal rights, should be made public by Parliament, together with the decision of the competent authority who should provide an explanation if the recommendations are not fully followed.
Amendment 13
Daniel Freund
on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group
Parliament’s Rules of Procedure
Rule 239 d (new)
| Present text | Amendment |
|---|---|
| Rule 239d | |
| Examination of the annual report of the Ethics Body | |
| The committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure shall examine the annual report adopted by the Ethics Body on its activities during the preceding year in accordance with Article 18(1) of the Agreement on the Ethics Body. The committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure may submit a motion for resolution to Parliament if it considers that Parliament needs to take a position in respect of any aspect of that report, or may propose amendments to the Rules of Procedure. |
Or. en
Justification
The annual report of the Ethics Body (Article 18 of the Agreement on the Ethics Body) should be examined in a similar way as annual reports by other bodies, such as the annual report of the Ombudsman. The committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure may also directly propose amendments to the Rules of Procedure.