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DRAFT REPORT (2025/2044(REG))

On amendments to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure implementing the Agreement establishing the Ethics Body

AFCO-PR-770102

Committee on Constitutional Affairs · Rapporteur: Sven Simon

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This draft report proposes amendments to Parliament's Rules of Procedure to implement the Agreement establishing the Ethics Body. It creates a new Title Xa and Rules 239a to 239h covering the appointment, conflicts of interest, activities, expert candidates, interpretations, consultations, self-assessment and annual report examination. The amendments set a two-and-a-half-year renewable term for Parliament's representative and alternate on the Ethics Body, both at Vice-President level, with gender balance sought. A temporary alternate is designated if both have a conflict of interest. The committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure would set Parliament's position in the Ethics Body, receive an annual report from the representative, propose independent experts, request abstract interpretations, consult experts, carry out a self-assessment and examine the Ethics Body's annual report.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes that Parliament amend its Rules of Procedure to implement the Agreement on the Ethics Body, by inserting a new Title Xa and Rules 239a to 239h.

Key points

  1. Parliament decides to amend its Rules of Procedure to implement the Agreement on the Ethics Body.
  2. The amendments enter into force on the first day of the next part-session.
  3. A new Title Xa on the Ethics Body is introduced into the Rules of Procedure.
  4. Rule 239a requires the President, on a proposal by the Conference of Presidents, to appoint Parliament's representative and alternate representative on the Ethics Body at Vice-President level, striving for gender balance.
  5. The term of office of the representative and alternate is two-and-a-half years, renewable once, and ends automatically when they cease to be Vice-President.
  6. Rule 239b provides that if the representative has a conflict of interest, the alternate replaces them; if both are affected, the President designates a temporary alternate on a proposal by the Conference of Presidents.
  7. Rule 239c tasks the committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure with establishing Parliament's position for the Ethics Body, forwarding it to the President and to the representative and alternate, and receiving an annual report from the representative.
  8. Rule 239d allows the committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure to propose candidates as independent experts of the Ethics Body.
  9. Rule 239e allows the committee to request an abstract interpretation of common minimum standards through the representative, and requires any such interpretation to be published on Parliament's website.
  10. Rule 239f allows the committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure and the Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members to consult and submit questions to the independent experts; the written opinion is confidential and non-binding.
  11. Rule 239g requires the committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure to carry out a written self-assessment of Parliament's internal rules and their alignment with the common minimum standards, and to submit a report to Parliament.
  12. Rule 239h requires the committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure to examine the Ethics Body's annual report and allows it to submit a motion for resolution if Parliament needs to take a position.

Who is affected

  • Parliament's representative and alternate representative on the Ethics Body, who must be Vice-Presidents and face term limits and conflict-of-interest rules.
  • The committee responsible for the Rules of Procedure, which gains tasks on positions, experts, interpretations, self-assessment and the annual report.
  • The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members, which may consult the Ethics Body's independent experts for specific cases.
  • The Conference of Presidents, which proposes the representative, alternate and temporary alternate.

Figures and deadlines

  • Term of office of the representative and alternate representative: two-and-a-half years, renewable once.