The EU Law Making Process The Role

The EU Law Making Process & The Role of Trilogues Malcolm Harbour CBE CEng MIMech. E Senior adviser, European Policy Centre EUDUG Meeting Friday 13 th November 2015

Topics v The Ordinary Legislative Process ØEvolution 1999 -2014 ØThe growing focus on Trilogues ØTracking the process, transparency issues v The total process of EU law making ØTrilogues in context v How the total process is changing v Engaging national decision makers Malcolm Harbour CBE November 2015 Slide 2

The Ordinary Legislative Procedure

The shift to First Readings Source: European Parliament Research Service

Drivers of the shift to First Readings Source: European Parliament Research Service Malcolm Harbour CBE November 2015 Slide 5

The Negotiating Challenge Source: European Parliament Research Service Malcolm Harbour CBE November 2015 Slide 6

COUNCIL Draft Commission Proposal Expert Group General approach PARLIAMENT Rapporteur and Shadows General support for principles? Fundamental Disagreements? Opinions from other Cttees Technical Ams developed Technical Ams Broad Consensus Reshape Draft Competing Ams Compromise Ams, Vote Agreed Draft 1 st Reading Negotiation COREPER Letter MS Adoption The Committee’s Report Plenary Amendments Adopted Legislation Plenary Adoption THE ONE READING CO-DECISION PROCESS

Managing Successful Trilogues v Agree technical and political issues Ø Technical compromises drafted by officials Ø Confirmed as ‘green text’ as 1 st agenda item v Meeting timetable and key topics planned Ø Put ‘easier’ topics at top of agendas v EP fields rapporteur and shadows Ø Ensure buy in by all political groups Ø Start point to sustain EP position v Engage Commission in resolving problems Ø Use advice to produce compromise texts v Deploy Impact Assessments and other evidence Malcolm Harbour CBE November 2015 Slide 10

The “ 4 Column” Document Commission proposal Parliament’s amended text Council’s amended text Suggested compromise

Trialogue Transparency v All COM and EP docs available v Council does release “work in progress” v …but no formal requirement v 4 column charts key for Trilogue v …but not generally released v …although digital tools can be deployed v …as EDP Supervisor app shows v Needs formal procedures Malcolm Harbour CBE November 2015 Slide 12

Why do we need new solutions? v Transformed balance of co-decision Øc. 90% legislation in one reading ØFlow of legislation cut significantly v More decisions “behind closed doors” v Pre legislative work far more important Øbut is largely “informal” v Parliaments and citizens disengaged v Duplication and inefficiency Malcolm Harbour CBE November 2015 Slide 13

Political Agenda-setting a Parliament priority (Re-) Start Parliament is increasingly taking a holistic approach towards political and legislative planning, by organising systematic feedback from all relevant actors to be fed into the entire legislative cycle, from the agendasetting until the scrutiny phase. Legal Text Annual Work Programme Commission proposal

Public Procurement 2009 -14 - Process Reading -1 Reading 1 COM Green Paper Review COM Drafts Published Vote in Committee COREPER Letter Final Text Published in OJ HY 2 2009 HY 1 2010 HY 2 2010 HY 1 2011 HY 2 2011 HY 1 2012 HY 2 2012 HY 1 2013 HY 2 2014 First INI Report Rapporteur nominated First INI Report adopted in Plenary 2 nd INI Report Rapporteur nominated Public Hearing Comp Ams Rapporteur and Shadows nominated 2 nd. INI Report adopted in Plenary Ref. to Council and EP EP IMCO 1 st Reading Trilogs 10 x 3 hrs 23 Final Texts Council Expert Group Vote in Plenary

Public Procurement 2009 -14 - Engagement Reading -1 Public Hearing IMCO Meeting with National Parliaments Reading 1 COM Green Paper Review COM Draft Published Vote in Committee COREPER Letter Final Text Published in OJ HY 2 2009 HY 1 2010 HY 2 2010 HY 1 2011 HY 2 2011 HY 1 2012 HY 2 2012 HY 1 2013 HY 2 2014 EP IMCO 1 st Reading Council Expert Group Engagement opportunities for National Parliaments, Regional Parliaments, Local Government, all stakeholders Opportunities realised: Competitiveness Council 0 Parliaments 0 Vote in Plenary

EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service v Expanding research resource covering all aspects of the policy cycle Ø Support EP legislative initiatives Ø Hold European Council to account Ø Review annual COM Work Programme Ø Cost of Non Europe gap analysis Ø Added Value assessment for new plans Ø Post Implementation reviews Ø Scientific analysis and foresight Ø Better briefing on all work in progress

Engage National Parliaments v Share Reading -1 process with National and Regional Parliaments v Encourage Committee “Twinning” ØMPs as “Shadow Rapporteurs” v Set up more Video Conferences ØFacilitates multi lingual working v Hold Council Ministers to account v Monitor “transposition” and outcomes Malcolm Harbour CBE November 2015 Slide 20

More Information Malcolm Harbournutlands@sky. com European Parliament Research Service www. EPthinktank. eu Copies of Presentation available on request Malcolm Harbour CBE November 2015 Slide 23