Rule 42 : Examination of respect for the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality

1.   During the examination of a proposal for a legislative act, Parliament shall pay particular attention to whether that proposal respects the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.

2.   Only the committee responsible for respect for the principle of subsidiarity may make recommendations, for the attention of the committee responsible for the subject-matter, in respect of a proposal for a legislative act.

3.   Except in the cases of urgency referred to in Article 4 of Protocol No 1 on the role of national parliaments in the European Union, the committee responsible for the subject-matter shall not proceed to its final vote before the expiry of the deadline of eight weeks laid down in Article 6 of Protocol No 2 on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.

4.   If a national parliament sends the President a reasoned opinion in accordance with Article 3 of Protocol No 1, that document shall be referred to the committee responsible for the subject-matter and forwarded, for information, to the committee responsible for respect for the principle of subsidiarity.

5.   Where reasoned opinions on the non-compliance of a proposal for a legislative act with the principle of subsidiarity represent at least one third of all the votes allocated to the national parliaments in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 7(1) of Protocol No 2, or a quarter in the case of a proposal for a legislative act submitted on the basis of Article 76 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Parliament shall not take a decision until the author of the proposal has stated how it intends to proceed.

6.   Where, under the ordinary legislative procedure, reasoned opinions on the non-compliance of a proposal for a legislative act with the principle of subsidiarity represent at least a simple majority of the votes allocated to the national parliaments in accordance with the second subparagraph of Article 7(1) of Protocol No 2, the committee responsible for the subject-matter, having considered the reasoned opinions submitted by the national parliaments and the Commission, and having heard the views of the committee responsible for respect for the principle of subsidiarity, may recommend to Parliament that it reject the proposal on the grounds of infringement of the principle of subsidiarity or submit to Parliament any other recommendation, which may include suggestions for amendments related to respect of the principle of subsidiarity. The opinion given by the committee responsible for respect for the principle of subsidiarity shall be annexed to any such recommendation.

The recommendation shall be submitted to Parliament for debate and a vote. If a recommendation to reject the proposal is adopted by a majority of the votes cast, the President shall declare the procedure to be closed. Where Parliament does not reject the proposal, the procedure shall continue, taking into account any recommendations approved by Parliament.