Talk:Codecision procedure

Untitled

Just thinking whether to mention the role of 1st & 2nd reading deals. Would that be useful?? Ajem (talk) 02:09, 25 May 2009 (UTC)

Precision

We have a list of what fall under codecision under Nice and Lisbonne, but : "The new Treaty of Lisbon, if it enters into force, will extend codecision to virtually all areas of EU policy." This should be more precise. What means virtually? Only a small area remains outside of codecision? What is it? Kromsson (talk) 02:53, 27 May 2009 (UTC)

Procedural summary

Main article: Detailed walk through the codecision procedure

Under the codecision procedure, a new legislative proposal is drafted by the European Commission. The proposal then comes before the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. The two institutions discuss the proposal, and each may amend it. In order for the proposal to become law, Council and Parliament must agree upon an identical final text. There are three readings and at each there is a chance for both bodies to agree.

Parliament appoints one of its members as 'rapporteur' to steer the proposal through the negotiation. The lead committee votes on amendments to the Commission's proposal. The amendments voted through the committee are later voted on in full plenary, where further amendments may be introduced.

In Council the Commission's proposal is first considered by a working group for that policy area who, with COREPER, prepares a position for the Council. After the Parliament vote the Council can either adopt the same text as the Parliament or come to its own position, which is called the common position.

If the two institutions have agreed on identical amendments after the first reading, the proposal becomes law. Otherwise, there is a second reading in each institution.

Parliament must complete its second reading within three months of the Council's common position being transmitted to the Parliament, or else Council's common position is deemed to have been accepted. This time period can be extended by Parliament by one month.

The Council then has three months to vote on whether to accept the Parliament's amendments to the common position, in which case it becomes law. Council can similarly extend this period by one month.

If the Council does not accept the Parliament's second reading amendments a conciliation committee is set up with an equal number of members from Parliament and Council. The committee attempts to negotiate a compromise text which must then be approved by both institutions in a third reading. This third reading is normally just referred to as conciliation.

Legislation is normally agreed at first or second reading with the former becoming more common. For an agreement to be reached the Council and Parliament enter into negotiations, facilitated by the Commission and these are called trilogues. An agreement can be reached at different points of the procedure outlined above, but usually it is reached after the Committee vote and before the Plenary vote. If a compromise agreement is successful, Parliament votes the compromise text through its plenary and Council confirms the same text.

These first or second reading agreements are sometimes known as first or second reading deals.

The Commission may alter or withdraw its proposal at any time before the Council has acted.