amendment list, 10 September 2026

Discharge 2024: General budget of the EU - European Council and Council

Document CONT-AM-792137 · (2025/2147(DEC))

Committee on Budgetary Control

Where the law stands · dossier 2025/2147 →

On Parliament’s site PDF Word

Full text

Jump to an amendment (22)

Amendment 1
Amendment 2
Amendment 3
Amendment 4
Amendment 5
Amendment 6
Amendment 7
Amendment 8
Amendment 9
Amendment 10
Amendment 11
Amendment 12
Amendment 13
Amendment 14
Amendment 15
Amendment 16
Amendment 17
Amendment 18
Amendment 19
Amendment 20
Amendment 21
Amendment 22

Text 132 paragraphs

Amendment 1

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolutionC. whereas, pursuant to Article 15(1) of the Treaty on European Union, the European Council is not to exercise legislative functions;	AmendmentC. whereas, pursuant to Article 15(1) of the Treaty on European Union, the European Council has a specific role in providing the Union with the necessary impetus for its development and defining its general political directions and priorities, without exercising legislative functions;

Or. en

Amendment 2

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution1. Deeply regrets that since 2009, and again for the financial year 2024, Council continues to refuse to cooperate with Parliament on the discharge procedure, preventing Parliament from taking an informed decision based on a serious and thorough scrutiny of the implementation of the Council’s budget and thereby compelling Parliament to refuse discharge;	Amendment1. Deeply regrets that since 2009, and again for the financial year 2024, Council continues to refuse to cooperate with Parliament on the discharge procedure, despite Parliament’s repeated efforts to establish constructive cooperation, preventing Parliament from taking an informed decision based on a serious and thorough scrutiny of the implementation of the Council’s budget and thereby compelling Parliament to refuse discharge;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1. Deeply regrets that since 2009, and again for the financial year 2024, Council continues to refuse to cooperate with Parliament on the discharge procedure, preventing Parliament from taking an informed decision based on a serious and thorough scrutiny of the implementation of the Council’s budget and thereby compelling Parliament to refuse discharge;

1. Deeply regrets that since 2009, and again for the financial year 2024, Council continues to refuse to cooperate with Parliament on the discharge procedure, despite Parliament’s repeated efforts to establish constructive cooperation, preventing Parliament from taking an informed decision based on a serious and thorough scrutiny of the implementation of the Council’s budget and thereby compelling Parliament to refuse discharge;

Or. en

Read the rest (120 paragraphs)

Amendment 3

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution	Amendment1a. Stresses that the European Parliament's power to exercise democratic and political control over the implementation of the Union budget derives from Article 14(1) TEU, and that this control is exercised over the Union budget as a whole pursuant to Article 319 TFEU, as extended to all Union institutions through the Financial Regulation and Parliament's consistent practice, upheld for over two decades, of granting discharge individually to every Union institution, body, office and agency; underlines that the discharge procedure, so understood, is an essential instrument of parliamentary accountability, transparency and democratic control over the use of public funds, and forms part of the system of institutional checks and balances underpinning the rule of law within the Union; emphasises that the Council, as the institution responsible for implementing its own section of the Union budget, must be subject to effective parliamentary scrutiny on the same basis as every other institution, and cannot place itself outside the discharge process by unilaterally contesting an interpretation that Parliament, the Commission and every other institution accept and follow; considers that the Council's full cooperation with Parliament is therefore essential to uphold the institutional balance, sound financial management and the rule of law; stresses that the Council's continued failure to cooperate with Parliament since 2009 in the discharge procedure undermines Parliament's budgetary control prerogatives as they have been consistently exercised in practice, and weakens democratic accountability and public trust in the Union institutions;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1a. Stresses that the European Parliament's power to exercise democratic and political control over the implementation of the Union budget derives from Article 14(1) TEU, and that this control is exercised over the Union budget as a whole pursuant to Article 319 TFEU, as extended to all Union institutions through the Financial Regulation and Parliament's consistent practice, upheld for over two decades, of granting discharge individually to every Union institution, body, office and agency; underlines that the discharge procedure, so understood, is an essential instrument of parliamentary accountability, transparency and democratic control over the use of public funds, and forms part of the system of institutional checks and balances underpinning the rule of law within the Union; emphasises that the Council, as the institution responsible for implementing its own section of the Union budget, must be subject to effective parliamentary scrutiny on the same basis as every other institution, and cannot place itself outside the discharge process by unilaterally contesting an interpretation that Parliament, the Commission and every other institution accept and follow; considers that the Council's full cooperation with Parliament is therefore essential to uphold the institutional balance, sound financial management and the rule of law; stresses that the Council's continued failure to cooperate with Parliament since 2009 in the discharge procedure undermines Parliament's budgetary control prerogatives as they have been consistently exercised in practice, and weakens democratic accountability and public trust in the Union institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 4

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution	Amendment1b. Reiterates deep regret that the Council continues to evade the standard discharge procedure; insists that the administrative expenditures of the European Council and the Council must be subject to the exact same democratic scrutiny and accountability standards as those of any other Union institution; calls on the Council to resume negotiations with Parliament without delay to establish a binding working arrangement for the discharge procedure;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

1b. Reiterates deep regret that the Council continues to evade the standard discharge procedure; insists that the administrative expenditures of the European Council and the Council must be subject to the exact same democratic scrutiny and accountability standards as those of any other Union institution; calls on the Council to resume negotiations with Parliament without delay to establish a binding working arrangement for the discharge procedure;

Or. en

Amendment 5

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution	Amendment1c. Emphasizes the growing importance of cybersecurity and digital infrastructure investments within the Council's administrative framework; urges the Council to ensure absolute transparency and rigorous oversight in all public procurement contracts related to IT, cloud migration, and external consultancy services;

Or. en

Amendment 6

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution	Amendment1d. Notes the data provided on the Council’s establishment plan; calls for continuous improvements in ensuring a balanced geographical representation across all administrative levels—particularly in management posts—and maintaining strict adherence to equal opportunity policies;

Or. en

Amendment 7

Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution	Amendment5a. Reminds of the fact that the General Court's 2023 De Capitani v Council ruling found that Council working-group documents are legislative, not merely technical, and are therefore subject to public access-to-documents rules; calls the Council to fully implement this rulling 1a;
Motion for a resolution	Amendment1a https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:62021TJ0163

Or. en

Amendment 8

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution7. Stresses that the current situation allows Parliament to check only the reports of the Court of Auditors and of the Ombudsman as well as the publicly available information on the Council’s website, because the Council continues its malpractice of non-cooperation with Parliament which makes it difficult for Parliament to carry out its duties properly and make an informed decision on granting discharge;	Amendment7. Stresses that the current situation allows Parliament to check only the reports of the Court of Auditors and of the Ombudsman as well as the publicly available information on the Council’s website, because of the Council’s continued lack of cooperation with Parliament which makes it difficult for Parliament to carry out its duties properly and make an informed decision on granting discharge;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

7. Stresses that the current situation allows Parliament to check only the reports of the Court of Auditors and of the Ombudsman as well as the publicly available information on the Council’s website, because the Council continues its malpractice of non-cooperation with Parliament which makes it difficult for Parliament to carry out its duties properly and make an informed decision on granting discharge;

7. Stresses that the current situation allows Parliament to check only the reports of the Court of Auditors and of the Ombudsman as well as the publicly available information on the Council’s website, because of the Council’s continued lack of cooperation with Parliament which makes it difficult for Parliament to carry out its duties properly and make an informed decision on granting discharge;

Or. en

Amendment 9

Ondřej Knotek

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution8. Deplores that the Council, for 15 years, has shown a lack of political willingness to collaborate with Parliament in the context of the annual discharge procedure; underlines that this attitude has had a lasting negative effect on both institutions, has discredited the management and democratic scrutiny of the Union budget and has damaged the trust of citizens in the Union as a transparent entity;	Amendment8. Deplores that the Council, for 15 years, has shown a lack of political willingness to collaborate with Parliament in the context of the annual discharge procedure; underlines that this situation has had a lasting effect on both institutions, has affected the management and democratic scrutiny of the Union budget and has underscores the importance of preserving the trust of citizens in the Union as a transparent entity;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

8. Deplores that the Council, for 15 years, has shown a lack of political willingness to collaborate with Parliament in the context of the annual discharge procedure; underlines that this attitude has had a lasting negative effect on both institutions, has discredited the management and democratic scrutiny of the Union budget and has damaged the trust of citizens in the Union as a transparent entity;

8. Deplores that the Council, for 15 years, has shown a lack of political willingness to collaborate with Parliament in the context of the annual discharge procedure; underlines that this situation has had a lasting effect on both institutions, has affected the management and democratic scrutiny of the Union budget and has underscores the importance of preserving the trust of citizens in the Union as a transparent entity;

Or. en

Amendment 10

Ondřej Knotek

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution9. Reaffirms its deep frustration regarding the Council's attitude towards the discharge procedure, which conveys an inappropriate message to Union citizens at a time when greater transparency is essential; underlines that the Council must adhere to the same standards of accountability it expects from other Union institutions;	Amendment9. Reaffirms its deep frustration regarding the Council's attitude towards the discharge procedure, which conveys an inappropriate message to Union citizens at a time when greater transparency is essential; underlines the importance of the Council continuing to adhere to the same standards of accountability it expects from other Union institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 11

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution9. Reaffirms its deep frustration regarding the Council's attitude towards the discharge procedure, which conveys an inappropriate message to Union citizens at a time when greater transparency is essential; underlines that the Council must adhere to the same standards of accountability it expects from other Union institutions;	Amendment9. Reaffirms its deep frustration regarding the Council's attitude towards the discharge procedure, which conveys an inappropriate message to Union citizens at a time when greater transparency is essential; underlines that the European Council and Council must adhere to the same standards of accountability and transparency required from other Union institutions;

Or. en

Amendment 12

Ondřej Knotek

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution11. Recalls that the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union supports the right of taxpayers and the public to be kept informed about the use of public revenues; demands, therefore, full respect for Parliament’s prerogative and role as guarantor of the democratic accountability principle; calls on the Council to duly follow up on the recommendations adopted by Parliament in the context of the discharge procedure;	Amendment11. Recalls that the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union supports the right of taxpayers and the public to be kept informed about the use of public revenues; stresses the importance of respecting the institutional prerogatives of Parliament in the context of the Union´s system of democratic accountability; calls on the Council to duly follow up on the recommendations adopted by Parliament in the context of the discharge procedure;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

11. Recalls that the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union supports the right of taxpayers and the public to be kept informed about the use of public revenues; demands, therefore, full respect for Parliament’s prerogative and role as guarantor of the democratic accountability principle; calls on the Council to duly follow up on the recommendations adopted by Parliament in the context of the discharge procedure;

11. Recalls that the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union supports the right of taxpayers and the public to be kept informed about the use of public revenues; stresses the importance of respecting the institutional prerogatives of Parliament in the context of the Union´s system of democratic accountability; calls on the Council to duly follow up on the recommendations adopted by Parliament in the context of the discharge procedure;

Or. en

Amendment 13

Arno Bausemer

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution12. Stresses that the current situation must be improved through better interinstitutional cooperation within the existing framework of the Treaties; considers that a possible revision of the Treaties could make the discharge procedure clearer and more transparent by explicitly empowering Parliament to grant discharge individually to all Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and urges the Council to actively engage with Parliament to address the current situation;	Amendment12. Stresses that the current situation must be solved through better interinstitutional cooperation within the current Treaty framework; is opposed to an amendment to the Treaties or an extension of Parliament's powers with reference to the discharge procedure; urges the Council to forward Parliament all information required for effective budgetary scrutiny in good time;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Stresses that the current situation must be improved through better interinstitutional cooperation within the existing framework of the Treaties; considers that a possible revision of the Treaties could make the discharge procedure clearer and more transparent by explicitly empowering Parliament to grant discharge individually to all Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and urges the Council to actively engage with Parliament to address the current situation;

12. Stresses that the current situation must be solved through better interinstitutional cooperation within the current Treaty framework; is opposed to an amendment to the Treaties or an extension of Parliament's powers with reference to the discharge procedure; urges the Council to forward Parliament all information required for effective budgetary scrutiny in good time;

Or. de

Amendment 14

Andrey Kovatchev

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution12. Stresses that the current situation must be improved through better interinstitutional cooperation within the existing framework of the Treaties; considers that a possible revision of the Treaties could make the discharge procedure clearer and more transparent by explicitly empowering Parliament to grant discharge individually to all Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and urges the Council to actively engage with Parliament to address the current situation;	Amendment12. Stresses that the current situation must be improved through better interinstitutional cooperation within the existing framework of the Treaties; considers it necessary, as part of future revision of the Treaties, to clarify the discharge procedure and explicity empower Parliament to grant discharge individually to all Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and urges the Council to actively engage with Parliament to address the current situation;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

12. Stresses that the current situation must be improved through better interinstitutional cooperation within the existing framework of the Treaties; considers it necessary, as part of future revision of the Treaties, to clarify the discharge procedure and explicity empower Parliament to grant discharge individually to all Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and urges the Council to actively engage with Parliament to address the current situation;

Or. en

Amendment 15

Csaba Molnár

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution13. Recalls that on 6 May 2025, during his intervention in Parliament’s plenary, the Representative of the Presidency of the Council expressed the latter’s willingness ‘to engage in a meaningful and pragmatic cooperation between our institutions’ when it comes to discharge in relation to the European Council and Council section of the Union budget, and reiterates its call for this intention to be translated into concrete steps in due time; calls therefore on the Council to resume negotiations with Parliament at the highest level as soon as possible, involving the Secretary-Generals and the Presidents of both institutions, in order to break the deadlock and find a solution while respecting the respective roles of Parliament and the Council in the discharge procedure and ensuring transparency and proper democratic control of budget implementation; reiterates its request that the Commission and the Council legal services provide an opinion on potential Treaty-based solutions to enforce Council’s accountability in the discharge procedure;	Amendment13. Recalls that on 6 May 2025, during his intervention in Parliament’s plenary, the Representative of the Presidency of the Council expressed the latter’s willingness ‘to engage in a meaningful and pragmatic cooperation between our institutions’ when it comes to discharge in relation to the European Council and Council section of the Union budget, and reiterates its call for this intention to be translated into concrete steps in due time; calls therefore on the Council to resume negotiations with Parliament at the highest level as soon as possible, involving the Secretary-Generals and the Presidents of both institutions, in order to break the deadlock and find a solution while respecting the respective roles of Parliament and the Council in the discharge procedure and ensuring transparency and robust democratic control of budget implementation; reiterates its request that the Commission and the Council legal services provide an opinion on potential Treaty-based solutions to enforce Council’s accountability in the discharge procedure;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

13. Recalls that on 6 May 2025, during his intervention in Parliament’s plenary, the Representative of the Presidency of the Council expressed the latter’s willingness ‘to engage in a meaningful and pragmatic cooperation between our institutions’ when it comes to discharge in relation to the European Council and Council section of the Union budget, and reiterates its call for this intention to be translated into concrete steps in due time; calls therefore on the Council to resume negotiations with Parliament at the highest level as soon as possible, involving the Secretary-Generals and the Presidents of both institutions, in order to break the deadlock and find a solution while respecting the respective roles of Parliament and the Council in the discharge procedure and ensuring transparency and proper democratic control of budget implementation; reiterates its request that the Commission and the Council legal services provide an opinion on potential Treaty-based solutions to enforce Council’s accountability in the discharge procedure;

13. Recalls that on 6 May 2025, during his intervention in Parliament’s plenary, the Representative of the Presidency of the Council expressed the latter’s willingness ‘to engage in a meaningful and pragmatic cooperation between our institutions’ when it comes to discharge in relation to the European Council and Council section of the Union budget, and reiterates its call for this intention to be translated into concrete steps in due time; calls therefore on the Council to resume negotiations with Parliament at the highest level as soon as possible, involving the Secretary-Generals and the Presidents of both institutions, in order to break the deadlock and find a solution while respecting the respective roles of Parliament and the Council in the discharge procedure and ensuring transparency and robust democratic control of budget implementation; reiterates its request that the Commission and the Council legal services provide an opinion on potential Treaty-based solutions to enforce Council’s accountability in the discharge procedure;

Or. en

Amendment 16

Csaba Molnár

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution14. Stresses that Parliament’s observations concerning budgetary and financial management, internal management, performance and internal control, human resources, equality and well-being, ethical framework and transparency, digitalisation, cybersecurity and data protection, buildings, environment and sustainability, interinstitutional cooperation and communication from its discharge resolution of 29 April 2026 are still valid;	Amendment14. Stresses that Parliament’s observations concerning budgetary and financial management, internal management, performance and internal control, human resources, equality, gender imbalance and staff well-being, ethical framework and transparency, digitalisation, cybersecurity and data protection, buildings, environment and sustainability, interinstitutional cooperation and communication from its discharge resolution of 29 April 2026 are still valid;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

14. Stresses that Parliament’s observations concerning budgetary and financial management, internal management, performance and internal control, human resources, equality and well-being, ethical framework and transparency, digitalisation, cybersecurity and data protection, buildings, environment and sustainability, interinstitutional cooperation and communication from its discharge resolution of 29 April 2026 are still valid;

14. Stresses that Parliament’s observations concerning budgetary and financial management, internal management, performance and internal control, human resources, equality, gender imbalance and staff well-being, ethical framework and transparency, digitalisation, cybersecurity and data protection, buildings, environment and sustainability, interinstitutional cooperation and communication from its discharge resolution of 29 April 2026 are still valid;

Or. en

Amendment 17

Ondřej Knotek

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution15. Reiterates its regret that the budget of the European Council and the Council has not been divided into two clearly separated budgets as recommended by Parliament in previous discharge resolutions in order to improve transparency and accountability, not least concerning the European Council, given that it is currently impossible to obtain reliable information regarding its costs; stresses the importance of reliable data for objective control; calls for compliance with the recommendation of the discharge authority;	Amendment15. Reiterates its regret that the budget of the European Council and the Council has not been divided into two clearly separated budgets as recommended by Parliament in previous discharge resolutions in order to improve transparency and accountability, including concerning the European Council, while recognising the importance of providing reliable information regarding its costs; stresses the importance of reliable data for objective control; calls for compliance with the recommendation of the discharge authority;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

15. Reiterates its regret that the budget of the European Council and the Council has not been divided into two clearly separated budgets as recommended by Parliament in previous discharge resolutions in order to improve transparency and accountability, not least concerning the European Council, given that it is currently impossible to obtain reliable information regarding its costs; stresses the importance of reliable data for objective control; calls for compliance with the recommendation of the discharge authority;

15. Reiterates its regret that the budget of the European Council and the Council has not been divided into two clearly separated budgets as recommended by Parliament in previous discharge resolutions in order to improve transparency and accountability, including concerning the European Council, while recognising the importance of providing reliable information regarding its costs; stresses the importance of reliable data for objective control; calls for compliance with the recommendation of the discharge authority;

Or. en

Amendment 18

Ondřej Knotek, Julien Sanchez

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution16. Stresses that while unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties, its application can, in certain circumstances and in critical policy areas, affect the timelines and effectiveness of the Union, including by paralysing the Union’s decision-making process and therefore making it prone to blackmail by Member States, especially those who fail to respect the rule of law; calls for targeted treaty reforms or, alternatively, practical improvements, within the existing Treaty framework, to strengthen transparency, democratic decision making, accountability and the efficiency of the European Council’s work;	Amendmentdeleted

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Stresses that while unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties, its application can, in certain circumstances and in critical policy areas, affect the timelines and effectiveness of the Union, including by paralysing the Union’s decision-making process and therefore making it prone to blackmail by Member States, especially those who fail to respect the rule of law; calls for targeted treaty reforms or, alternatively, practical improvements, within the existing Treaty framework, to strengthen transparency, democratic decision making, accountability and the efficiency of the European Council’s work;

deleted

Or. en

Amendment 19

Geadis Geadi, Cristian Terheş

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution16. Stresses that while unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties, its application can, in certain circumstances and in critical policy areas, affect the timelines and effectiveness of the Union, including by paralysing the Union’s decision-making process and therefore making it prone to blackmail by Member States, especially those who fail to respect the rule of law; calls for targeted treaty reforms or, alternatively, practical improvements, within the existing Treaty framework, to strengthen transparency, democratic decision making, accountability and the efficiency of the European Council’s work;	Amendment16. Stresses that unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Stresses that unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties;

Or. en

Amendment 20

Arno Bausemer

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution16. Stresses that while unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties, its application can, in certain circumstances and in critical policy areas, affect the timelines and effectiveness of the Union, including by paralysing the Union’s decision-making process and therefore making it prone to blackmail by Member States, especially those who fail to respect the rule of law; calls for targeted treaty reforms or, alternatively, practical improvements, within the existing Treaty framework, to strengthen transparency, democratic decision making, accountability and the efficiency of the European Council’s work;	Amendment16. Stresses that the unanimity provided for in the Treaties in certain policy areas safeguards the sovereignty and fundamental interests of the Member States; is opposed to attempts to sidestep the unanimity principle through Treaty changes or alternative practical arrangements; underlines the fact that decision-making in the Council is a matter beyond the scope of the discharge procedure;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Stresses that the unanimity provided for in the Treaties in certain policy areas safeguards the sovereignty and fundamental interests of the Member States; is opposed to attempts to sidestep the unanimity principle through Treaty changes or alternative practical arrangements; underlines the fact that decision-making in the Council is a matter beyond the scope of the discharge procedure;

Or. de

Amendment 21

Ondřej Knotek, Julien Sanchez

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution16. Stresses that while unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties, its application can, in certain circumstances and in critical policy areas, affect the timelines and effectiveness of the Union, including by paralysing the Union’s decision-making process and therefore making it prone to blackmail by Member States, especially those who fail to respect the rule of law; calls for targeted treaty reforms or, alternatively, practical improvements, within the existing Treaty framework, to strengthen transparency, democratic decision making, accountability and the efficiency of the European Council’s work;	Amendment16. Stresses that unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties, and its recourse to it constitutes a legitimate expression of democratic accountability by Member States’ governments; underlines that any debate on decision-making efficiency must fully respect the Treaties and cannot undermine the principle of conferral between the Union and its Member States.

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Stresses that unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties, and its recourse to it constitutes a legitimate expression of democratic accountability by Member States’ governments; underlines that any debate on decision-making efficiency must fully respect the Treaties and cannot undermine the principle of conferral between the Union and its Member States.

Or. en

Amendment 22

Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
Motion for a resolution16. Stresses that while unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties, its application can, in certain circumstances and in critical policy areas, affect the timelines and effectiveness of the Union, including by paralysing the Union’s decision-making process and therefore making it prone to blackmail by Member States, especially those who fail to respect the rule of law; calls for targeted treaty reforms or, alternatively, practical improvements, within the existing Treaty framework, to strengthen transparency, democratic decision making, accountability and the efficiency of the European Council’s work;	Amendment16. Stresses that, while unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties, its application in certain circumstances and in critical policy areas can affect the Union's timelines and effectiveness, including by paralysing its decision-making process and thereby leaving it vulnerable to being blocked by individual Member States, particularly those that fail to respect the rule of law; calls for targeted Treaty reforms or, alternatively, practical improvements within the existing Treaty framework, in order to strengthen transparency, democratic decision-making, accountability and the efficiency of the European Council's work; calls on the European Council to follow up on previous European Parliament resolutions calling for such reforms;

Motion for a resolution

Amendment

16. Stresses that, while unanimity voting remains a core principle of the Treaties, its application in certain circumstances and in critical policy areas can affect the Union's timelines and effectiveness, including by paralysing its decision-making process and thereby leaving it vulnerable to being blocked by individual Member States, particularly those that fail to respect the rule of law; calls for targeted Treaty reforms or, alternatively, practical improvements within the existing Treaty framework, in order to strengthen transparency, democratic decision-making, accountability and the efficiency of the European Council's work; calls on the European Council to follow up on previous European Parliament resolutions calling for such reforms;

Or. en