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From · report parliamentary committee draft · 2026-01-07 AFCO-PR-781475 on the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission

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PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

on the revision of the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the Commission

(2025/2243(ACI))

– having regard to Rule 154(1) of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs ~~(A10-0000/2026),~~(A10-0031/2026),

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,

B. whereas the Treaty on the European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union place the Parliament on an equal footing with the Council in the ordinary legislative procedure and in budgetary matters, and enhances its role in the EU’s external policy, with the exception of the role relating to Common Foreign and Security Policy,

D. whereas Article 225 TFEU confers on the Parliament a right of initiative to request the Commission to submit a proposal for a Union act,

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,

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,

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,

~~1. Considers the revised agreement a substantive institutional advance for Parliament in its relations with the Commission;~~

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,

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;

2. Welcomes, in particular, the following improvements contained in the revised agreement:

- 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, ~~timely~~timely, detailed and ~~detailed~~transparent 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;

- 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;

- the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that its impact assessments are conducted under its responsibility through a transparent procedure that guarantees an independent assessment;

- the strengthening of the Commission’s political accountability by ensuring the presence of the competent Members of the Commission in Parliament, both in plenary and in committees;

- the assurance that Members of the Commission will in general be summoned by Parliament as part of its political oversight function, and that Parliament ~~may~~can 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;

- the obligation for Members of the Commission to attend committee meetings, and that only in ~~case~~the 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;

- the commitment of the Commission that, whenever it intends to withdraw a proposal, the competent Member of the Commission ~~shall~~will attend the committees’ meetings to discuss that intention;

- 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;

- the strengthening of Parliament’s right of initiative under Article 225 TFEU, including proposals to amend or repeal existing legislation, by enhancing the follow-up by the Commission to Parliament’s requests;

- 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;

- the improved flow of information regarding international ~~agreements,~~agreements ~~thus~~at all stages of the negotiation, thereby strengthening democratic accountability and transparency in external policy;

~~3. Approves the conclusion of the agreement annexed hereto;~~

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;

~~4. Instructs its President to sign the agreement with the President of the Council and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;~~

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;

~~5. Instructs its President to forward this decision, including its annex, to the Council, the Commission, and the parliaments of the Member States, for information.~~

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;

~~ANNEX: DRAFT FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT ON RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION~~

6. Approves the conclusion of the agreement annexed hereto;

7. Instructs its President to sign the agreement with the President of the Commission and arrange for its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union;

8. Instructs its President to forward this decision, including its annex, to the Council, the Commission, and the parliaments of the Member States, for information.

ANNEX: FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT ON RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION (hereinafter referred to as “the two Institutions”),

– having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in particular Article 295 thereof, and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (hereinafter referred to as ~~"the~~“the ~~Treaties"),~~Treaties”),

– having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreements and texts governing relations between the two Institutions,

29. Where the Commission intends to propose provisional application of an international agreement to the Council, it shall inform Parliament as early as possible, and state its reasons for doing so, bearing in mind that Article 218(5) TFEU only allows provisional application when it is necessary.

Without prejudice to its right of initiative and in full respect of the institutional balance, unless duly justified by other circumstances, when the Commission proposes a Council decision on signing and provisional application, it will propose that the Council, in that decision, authorises the Commission to proceed with the notification of provisional application to third parties in such a manner that Parliament is in a position to give its consent under Article 218(6) TFEU within a reasonable period of time. In such a case, Parliament will endeavour to organise the consent procedure in such a way as to ensure that such notification can be transmitted to the third party or parties to the international agreement as quickly as possible after the adoption of the Council decision on signing and provisional ~~application~~application.

30. The Commission will immediately and fully inform Parliament of any proposal made pursuant to Article 218(9) TFEU, as well as of any cases where the Commission makes use of the empowerment conferred upon it pursuant to Article 218(7) TFEU.

V. THE COMMISSION’S PARTICIPATION IN PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS

~~57. The Commission shall be present, when requested, at the plenary sittings or other meetings of Parliament.~~

57. The Commission shall be present, when requested, at the plenary sittings or other meetings of ParliamentThe Commission shall ensure that Members of the Commission are present at plenary sittings either to cover agenda items falling under their responsibility or upon a specific request by Parliament as part of its political oversight function, except when there are duly justified reasons for their nonattendance. Where specific circumstances of an agenda item so justify, Parliament may request that a specific Member of the Commission should be present in plenary.

The Commission shall ensure that Members of the Commission are present at plenary sittings either to cover agenda items falling under their responsibility or upon a specific request by Parliament as part of its political oversight function, except when there are duly justified reasons for their nonattendance. Where specific circumstances of an agenda item so justify, Parliament may request that a specific Member of the Commission should be present in plenary.

Where changes are made to the plenary agendas, the Commission will make every effort to ensure appropriate representation corresponding to the agenda items.

58. For every part-session, Parliament may invite the Commission for Question Time for a duration of up to 90 minutes on one or more themes to be decided upon by the Conference of Presidents at the latest on the Thursday before the relevant part-session. The Members of the Commission participating in the Question Time shall have a portfolio related to the theme in respect of which questions are to be put to them.

Question Time may also be ~~held,~~held with the President of the Commission upon receipt of an invitation from the President of the Parliament.

59. Members of the Commission shall be heard at their request.

The President The President

ANNEX I

Commission meetings with national experts

This Annex lays down the modalities for implementation of point 16 of the Framework Agreement.

1. Scope

The provisions of point 16 of the Framework Agreement concern the following meetings:

(1) Commission meetings taking place within the framework of expert groups established by the Commission to which national authorities from all Member States are invited, where they concern the preparation and implementation of Union legislation, including soft law and delegated acts;

(2) ad hoc Commission meetings to which national experts from all Member States are invited, where they concern the preparation and implementation of Union legislation, including soft law and delegated acts.

Meetings of comitology committees are excluded, without prejudice to existing and future specific arrangements concerning the provision to Parliament of information concerning the exercise of the Commission’s implementing powers.

2. Information to be transmitted to Parliament

The Commission commits to send Parliament the same documentation it sends to national authorities in relation to the abovementioned meetings. The Commission will transmit those documents, including agendas, to a functional Parliament mailbox at the same time as they are sent to the national experts.

3. Invitation of Parliament’s experts

Upon being requested by Parliament, the Commission may decide to invite Parliament to send Parliament experts to attend Commission meetings with national experts as identified in point 1.

ANNEX II

Forwarding of confidential information to Parliament

1. Scope

1.1. This Annex shall govern the forwarding to Parliament and the handling of confidential information, as defined in point 1.2., from the Commission in connection with the exercise of Parliament's prerogatives and competences. The two Institutions shall act in accordance with their mutual duties of sincere cooperation, in a spirit of complete mutual trust and in the strictest conformity with the relevant Treaty provisions.

1.2. 'Information' shall mean any written or oral information, whatever the medium and whoever the author may be.

1.2.1. 'Confidential information' shall mean 'EU classified information' (EUCI) and sensitive non-classified (SNC) information, as defined in points 1.2.2. and 1.2.3.

1.2.2. 'EU classified information' (EUCI) shall mean any information and material, classified as 'TRÈS SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET, 'SECRET UE/EU SECRET', 'CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL' or 'RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED' or bearing equivalent national or international classification markings, the unauthorised disclosure of which could cause varying degrees of prejudice to the interests of the Union, or of one or more of the Member States, whether such information originates within the Union or is received from Member States, third countries or international organisations.

(a) TRÈS SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET: this classification shall be applied only to information and material the unauthorised disclosure of which could cause exceptionally grave prejudice to the essential interests of the Union or of one or more of the Member States.

(b) SECRET UE/EU SECRET: this classification shall be applied only to information and material the unauthorised disclosure of which could seriously harm the essential interests of the Union or of one or more of the Member States.

(c) CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL: this classification shall be applied to information and material the unauthorised disclosure of which could harm the essential interests of the Union or of one or more of the Member States.

(d) RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED: this classification shall be applied to information and material the unauthorised disclosure of which could be disadvantageous to the interests of the Union or of one or more of the Member States.

1.2.3. 'Sensitive non-classified (SNC) information' shall mean any information or material other than EUCI that must be protected because of legal obligations laid down in the Treaties or in acts adopted in implementation thereof or because of its sensitivity, including information covered by the obligation of professional secrecy. 1.3. In accordance with the provisions of this Annex, the Commission shall forward to Parliament EUCI and SNC information in a timely manner to enable Parliament to exercise its role under the Treaties. It shall do so on its own initiative or at the request, which should be made in a timely manner, of one of the parliamentary bodies or office-holders mentioned in point 1.4. 1.4. In the context of this Annex, the following may request EUCI and SNC information from the Commission:

– the President of Parliament,

– the chairs of the parliamentary committees concerned,

– the Bureau and the Conference of Presidents, and

– the head of Parliament’s delegation included in the Union delegation at an international conference.

1.5. Information on infringement procedures and procedures relating to competition, in so far as they are not covered by a final Commission decision or by a judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union on the date when the request from one of the parliamentary bodies/office-holders mentioned in point 1.4. is received, and information relating to the protection of the Union's financial interests, shall be excluded from the scope of this Annex. This is without prejudice to point 56 of the Framework Agreement and to the budgetary control rights of Parliament.

1.6. These provisions shall apply without prejudice to Decision 95/167/EC, Euratom, ECSC of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 19 April 1995 on the detailed provisions governing the exercise of the European Parliament's right of inquiry and the relevant provisions of Commission Decision 1999/352/EC, ECSC, Euratom of 28 April 1999 establishing the European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF).

2. General rules

2.1. The Commission shall, in accordance with point 1.3., forward to Parliament with all due despatch any EUCI and SNC information required for the exercise of Parliament's prerogatives and competences. In accordance with their respective powers and responsibilities, the two Institutions shall respect:

– fundamental human rights, including the right to a fair trial and the right to protection of privacy;

– provisions governing judicial and disciplinary procedures;

– protection of business secrecy and commercial relations;

– protection of the interests of the Union, in particular those relating to public safety, defence, international relations, monetary stability and financial interests.

In the event of a disagreement, the matter shall be referred to the Presidents of the two Institutions so that they may resolve the dispute.

EUCI and SNC information that originates from a Member State, another institution, an international organisation or a third country shall be forwarded, downgraded or declassified only with its consent.

2.2. EUCI and SNC information shall be forwarded to and handled and protected by Parliament in compliance with common minimum standards of security applied by the two Institutions. When classifying information for which it is the originator, the Commission shall ensure that it applies appropriate levels of classification in line with international standards and definitions and its internal rules, whilst taking due account of the need for Parliament to be able to access EUCI for the effective exercise of its competences and prerogatives.

2.3. In the event of any doubt as to the confidential nature of an item of information or its appropriate level of classification, or where it is necessary to lay down the appropriate arrangements for it to be forwarded in accordance with one of the options set out in point 3.2., the two Institutions shall consult each other without delay and before transmission of the document. In these consultations, Parliament shall be represented by the chair of the parliamentary body concerned, accompanied, where necessary, by the rapporteur, or the office-holder who submitted the request. The Commission shall be represented by the Member of the Commission with responsibility for that area, after consultation of the Member of the Commission responsible for security matters. In the event of a disagreement, the matter shall be referred to the Presidents of the two Institutions so that they may resolve the dispute.

2.4. If, at the end of the procedure referred to in point 2.3., no agreement has been reached, the President of Parliament, in response to a reasoned request from the parliamentary body/office-holder who submitted the request, shall call on the Commission to forward, within the appropriate deadline duly indicated, the EUCI and SNC information in question,selecting the arrangements from among the options laid down in point 3.2. of this Annex. Before the expiry of that deadline, the Commission shall inform Parliament in writing of its final position, in respect of which Parliament reserves the right, if appropriate, to exercise its right to seek redress.

2.5. Access to EUCI shall be granted in accordance with applicable rules for personnel security clearance.

2.5.1. Access to information classified as "TRÈS SECRET UE /EU TOP SECRET", "SECRET UE/EU SECRET" and "CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL" may only be granted to officials, temporary and contract staff working in the General Secretariat or in a political group of the Parliament and seconded national experts for whom that information is strictly necessary, who have been designated as having a need to know and who have been given an appropriate security clearance.

2.5.2. In light of Parliament's prerogatives and competences, the President of Parliament may grant access to CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL information to a Member to whom no access is provided by virtue of their function in accordance with the national law of the Member State in which the Member was elected and who cannot obtain an appropriate security clearance due to the lack of such a procedure in the Member State in which the Member was elected, after that Member has signed a solemn declaration not to disclose that information to any third person, and provided that Parliament has not received information from a competent National Security Authority advising against the granting of such access.

Access to "SECRET UE/EU SECRET" information shall be granted to Members who have been given an appropriate security clearance or are provided access to EUCI by virtue of their function in accordance with national law.

2.5.3. Details of the category or categories of persons for whom access to the EUCI and SNC information is requested shall be communicated simultaneously with the request.

Prior to being granted access to such information each person shall be briefed on its confidentiality level and the resulting security obligations.

3. Arrangements for access to and the handling of EUCI and SNC information

3.1 EUCI forwarded in accordance with the procedures set out in point 2.2., 2.3. and, where appropriate, point 2.4. shall be made available, under the responsibility of the President or of a Member of the Commission, to the parliamentary body/office-holder who submitted the request, in accordance with the following conditions:

Parliament and the Commission shall ensure the recording or registration of EUCI to ensure its traceability.

More specifically, EUCI classified as “CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL” and “SECRET UE/EU SECRET” shall be forwarded from the competent Commission EUCI registry to Parliament’s EUCI Registry, which will be responsible for making it available to the parliamentary body/office-holder who submitted the request.

The forwarding of EUCI classified as “TRÈS SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET" shall be subject to further arrangements, agreed between the Commission and the parliamentary body/office-holder who submitted the request, aimed at ensuring a level of protection commensurate with that classification.

3.2. Without prejudice to the provisions of points 2.2., 2.3., and 2.., access and the arrangements designed to preserve the confidentiality of the information shall be laid down by common accord before the information is forwarded. That accord between the Member of the Commission with responsibility for the policy area involved and the parliamentary body (represented by its chair)/office-holder who submitted the request, shall in particular provide for the selection of one of the options set out in points 3.2.1. and 3.2.2. in order to ensure the appropriate level of confidentiality.

3.2.1. Regarding the addressees of EUCI, provision should be made for one of the following options:

– information intended for the President of Parliament alone, in instances justified on absolutely exceptional grounds;

– the Bureau and/or the Conference of Presidents;

– the chair and rapporteur of the relevant parliamentary committee;

– all members (full and substitute) of the relevant parliamentary committee;

– all Members of the European Parliament.

Information classified as CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL or above may not be published or forwarded to any other addressee without the consent of the Commission.

Information classified as RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED may not be published without the consent of the Commission.

Without prejudice to the last sentence of point 2.1., information classified as RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED may be forwarded within the Parliament to Members, officials, temporary and contract staff working in the General Secretariat or in a political group of the Parliament and seconded national experts who have been appropriately briefed and have a need to know.

Parliament shall inform the Commission of the categories of persons that have received access to information classified as RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED. Parliament will keep a record of the persons who have accessed EUCI.

3.2.2. Regarding the arrangements for the handling of EUCI, provision should be made for the following options:

(a) examination of information in a Secured Area if the information is classified as “ConfidentiEl UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL” and above;

(b) holding the meeting in camera, attended only by the members of the Bureau, the members of the Conference of Presidents or full members and substitute members of the competent parliamentary committee, as well as by officials, temporary and contract staff working in the General Secretariat or in a political group of the Parliament and seconded national experts, who have been designated in advance by the chair as having a need to know and whose presence is strictly necessary, provided they have been given the required level of security clearance, taking into account the following conditions:

– any documents shall be numbered, distributed at the beginning of the meeting and collected again at the end. No notes of those documents and no photocopies thereof may be taken;

– the minutes of the meeting shall make no mention of the discussion of the item taken under the confidential procedure.

Before transmission, all personal data may be expunged from the documents.

EUCI and SNC information provided orally to recipients in Parliament shall be subject to the equivalent level of protection as that accorded to such information provided in written form. This may include a solemn declaration by recipients of that information not to divulge its contents to any third person.

3.2.3. When written information is to be examined in a Secured Area, Parliament shall ensure that the following arrangements are in place:

– a secure storage system for EUCI and SNC information;

– a Secured Area without photocopying machines, telephones, fax facilities, scanners or any other technical equipment for the reproduction and transmission of documents, etc.;

– security provisions governing access to a Secured Area, including the requirements of signature in an access register and a declaration not to disseminate the EUCI examined.

3.2.4. The above does not preclude other equivalent arrangements agreed between the Institutions.

3.3 SNC information forwarded in accordance with the procedures set out in point 2.2. and 2.3. shall in the case of information provided on the initiative of the Commission be made available to the parliamentary body/office-holder responsible for the subject matter under Parliament’s Rules of Procedure and, in the case of a request, to the parliamentary body/office holder who submitted it. The information shall be forwarded in an encrypted manner, using an encryption architecture and key under the control of Parliament on a need-to-know basis and in accordance with the relevant handling instructions.

SNC information may not be published without the consent of the Commission. Without prejudice to the last sentence of point 2.1., SNC information may be forwarded within the Parliament to Members, officials, temporary and contract staff working in the General Secretariat or in a political group of the Parliament, and seconded national experts, who have been appropriately briefed and have a need to know.

Parliament shall inform the Commission of the categories of persons that have received access to such information. Parliament will keep a record of the persons who have received access to SNC information.

3.4. In the case of a proven or suspected loss or compromise of EUCI or SNC information provided by the Commission, the Security Authority of the European Parliament shall immediately inform the Security Authority of the Commission. The Security Authority of the European Parliament shall open an investigation and shall inform the Security Authority of the Commission of its results and of measures taken to prevent a recurrence.

In the event of non-compliance with this Annex or Parliament’s internal security rules, the provisions relating to penalties imposed upon Members set out in Parliament's Rules of Procedure and, in respect of Parliament officials and other employees, the applicable provisions of Article 86 of the Staff Regulations or Article 49 of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union, and any other applicable rules, shall apply.

4. Final provisions

4.1. The Commission and Parliament shall take all the measures required for the implementation of the provisions of this Annex.

To that end, the competent services of the Commission and of Parliament shall closely coordinate on the implementation of this Annex. This shall include the mutual verification of traceability of EUCI and SNC information and periodic joint monitoring of the security arrangements and standards applied by the two Institutions.

4.2. Parliament and the Commission will review this Annex and, where necessary, adapt it, in accordance with point 70 of the Framework Agreement, in light of developments concerning:

– future security arrangements involving Parliament and the Commission;

– other agreements or legal acts relevant for the forwarding of information between the Institutions.

ANNEX III

Negotiation and conclusion of international agreements

This Annex lays down detailed arrangements for the provision of information to Parliament concerning the negotiation and conclusion of international agreements as referred to in points 27, 33 and 34 of the Framework Agreement.

1. The Commission shall inform Parliament about its intention to propose the start of negotiations at the same time as it informs the Council.

2. In line with the provisions of point 33 of the Framework Agreement, when the Commission proposes draft negotiating directives with a view to their adoption by the Council, it shall at the same time present them to Parliament.

3. The Commission shall take due account of Parliament’s comments throughout the negotiations.

4. In line with the provisions of point 27 of the Framework Agreement, the Commission shall keep Parliament regularly and promptly informed about the conduct of negotiations until the agreement is initialled, and explain whether and how Parliament’s comments were incorporated in the texts under negotiation and if not why.

5. In the case of international agreements the conclusion of which requires Parliament’s consent, the Commission shall provide to Parliament during the negotiation process all relevant information that it also provides to the Council (or to the special committee appointed by the Council). This shall include draft amendments to adopted negotiating directives, draft negotiating texts, agreed articles, the agreed date for initialling the agreement and the text of the agreement to be initialled. The Commission shall also transmit to Parliament, as it does to the Council (or to the special committee appointed by the Council), any relevant documents received from third parties, subject to the originator’s consent. The Commission shall keep the responsible parliamentary committee informed about developments in the negotiations and, in particular, explain how Parliament’s views have been taken into account.

6. In the case of international agreements the conclusion of which does not require Parliament’s consent, the Commission shall ensure that Parliament is immediately and fully informed, by providing information covering at least the draft negotiating directives, the adopted negotiating directives, the subsequent conduct of negotiations and the conclusion of the negotiations.

7. In line with the provisions of point 33 of the Framework Agreement, the Commission shall give thorough information to Parliament in due time when an international agreement is initialled, and shall inform Parliament as early as possible when it intends to propose its provisional application to the Council and of the reasons therefor, unless reasons of urgency preclude it from doing so.

8. The Commission shall inform the Council and Parliament simultaneously and in due time of its intention to propose to the Council the suspension of an international agreement and of the reasons therefor.

9. For international agreements which would fall under the consent procedure provided for by the TFEU, the Commission shall also keep Parliament fully informed before approving modifications to an agreement which are authorised by the Council, by way of derogation, in accordance with Article 218(7) TFEU.

ANNEX IV

Timetable for the Commission Work Programme

The Commission Work Programme shall be accompanied by a list of legislative and non-legislative proposals for the following years. The Commission Work Programme covers the next year in question, and provides a detailed indication of the Commission’s priorities for the subsequent years. The Commission Work Programme can thus be the basis for a structured dialogue with Parliament, with a view to seeking a common understanding.

The Commission Work Programme shall also include planned initiatives on soft law, withdrawals and simplification.

1. In the first semester of a given year, Members of the Commission shall undertake an ongoing regular dialogue with the corresponding parliamentary committees on the implementation of the Commission Work Programme for that year and on the preparation of the future Commission Work Programme. On the basis of that dialogue each parliamentary committee shall report on the outcome thereof to the Conference of Committee Chairs.

2. In parallel the Conference of Committee Chairs shall hold a regular exchange of views with the Vice-President of the Commission responsible for interinstitutional relations, in order to assess the state of implementation of the current Commission Work Programme, discuss the preparation of the future Commission Work Programme and take stock of the results of the ongoing bilateral dialogue between the parliamentary committees concerned and relevant Members of the Commission.

3. In June, the Conference of Committees Chairs shall submit a summary report to the Conference of Presidents, which should include results of the screening of the implementation of the Commission Work Programme as well as Parliament’s priorities for the forthcoming Commission Work Programme, and Parliament shall inform the Commission thereof.

4. On the basis of that summary report, Parliament shall adopt a resolution at the July part-session, outlining its position and including in particular requests based on legislative initiative reports.

5. Each year in the first part-session of September, a State of the Union debate will be held in which the President of the Commission shall deliver an address, taking stock of the current year and looking ahead to priorities for the following years. To that end, the President of the Commission will in parallel set out in writing to Parliament the main elements guiding the preparation of the Commission Work Programme for the following year.

6. From the start of September, the competent parliamentary committees and the relevant Members of the Commission may meet for a more detailed exchange of views on future priorities in each policy area. These meetings shall be rounded off by a meeting between the Conference of Committee Chairs and the College of Commissioners and by a meeting between the Conference of Presidents and the President of the Commission, as appropriate.

7. In October, the Commission shall adopt its Work Programme for the following year. Subsequently, the President of the Commission shall present that Work Programme to Parliament at an appropriate level.

8. Parliament may hold a debate and adopt a resolution at the December part-session.

9. This timetable shall be applied to each regular programming cycle, except for Parliament election years coinciding with the end of the Commission’s term of office.

10. This timetable shall not prejudice any future agreement on interinstitutional programming.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Overall, the new Framework Agreement reinforces Parliament’s prerogatives without altering the institutional balance laid down in the Treaties and provides a more effective, transparent and accountable basis for cooperation in the service of Union citizens.

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

The rapporteur declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his report input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register, or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Date adopted

24.2.2026

Result of final vote

–:

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

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