REPORT on amendment of Rule 166 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure concerning the final vote and Rule 195(3) concerning voting in committee

20.1.2014 - (2014/2001(REG))

Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Rapporteur: Carlo Casini


Procedure : 2014/2001(REG)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
A7-0035/2014
Texts tabled :
A7-0035/2014
Debates :
Texts adopted :

PROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

on amendment of Rule 166 of Parliament's Rules of Procedure concerning the final vote and Rule 195(3) concerning the voting in committee

(2014/2001(REG))

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to the proposal for amendment of its Rules of Procedure (B7‑0252/2013),

–   having regard to Rules 211 and 212 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A7-0035/2014),

1.  Decides to amend its Rules of Procedure as shown below;

2.  Points out that the amendments will enter into force on the first day of the next part-session;

3.  Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and the Commission, for information.

Amendment  1

Parliament's Rules of Procedure

Rule 166

Present text

Amendment

When voting on any proposal for a legislative act, whether by way of a single and/or final vote, Parliament shall vote by roll call using the electronic voting system.

When deciding on the basis of a report, Parliament shall take any single and/or final vote by roll call in accordance with Rule 167(2).

Amendment  2

Parliament's Rules of Procedure

Rule 195 – paragraph 3

Present text

Amendment

3. Voting in committee shall be by show of hands, unless a quarter of the committee’s members request a vote by roll call. In this case the vote shall be taken in accordance with Rule 167(2).

3. Voting in committee shall be by show of hands. However, the vote shall be taken by roll call in accordance with Rule 167(2) in the case of a single and/or final vote on a report or if so requested by a quarter of the committee’s members.

15.1.2014

PROPOSAL FOR AMENDMENT OF PARLIAMENT'S RULES OF PROCEDURE B7‑0252/2013

under Rule 212 of the Rules of Procedure

by Morten Messerschmidt

Amendment of Rule 166 (Final vote) and 195 (3) (Voting in committee)

PARLIAMENT'S RULES OF PROCEDURE

Amendment  1

Parliament's Rules of Procedure

Rule 166

Present text

Amendment

When voting on any proposal for a legislative act, whether by way of a single and/or final vote, Parliament shall vote by roll call using the electronic voting system.

Any final vote on a report drawn up by Parliament shall be adopted by roll call using the electronic voting system.

Justification

Taking into account the study ‘Democratic scrutiny, transparency, and modalities of vote in the national parliaments of the Member States and in the European Parliament’ produced at the request of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, the proposed change to the Rules of Procedure aims to align Parliament’s practice with the best practices in other parliaments of the European Union.

The proposed amendment will also increase transparency and thus the democratic accountability of Members to the electorate and citizens. Voters have a right to know how their elected representatives have voted in order to be able to hold them to account.

Amendment  2

Parliament's Rules of Procedure

Rule 195 – paragraph 3

Present text

Amendment

3. Voting in committee shall be by show of hands, unless a quarter of the committee’s members request a vote by roll call. In this case the vote shall be taken in accordance with Rule 167(2).

3. Voting in committee shall be by show of hands, unless it is a final vote on a report drawn up by the committee or a quarter of the committee’s members request a vote by roll call. In this case the vote shall be taken in accordance with Rule 167(2).

RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE

Date adopted

17.12.2013

 

 

 

Result of final vote

+:

–:

0:

17

7

0

Members in favour

Andrew Henry William Brons, Andrew Duff, Ashley Fox, Roberto Gualtieri, Enrique Guerrero Salom, Sylvie Guillaume, Gerald Häfner, Daniel Hannan, Stanimir Ilchev, Anneli Jäätteenmäki, Constance Le Grip, David Martin, Morten Messerschmidt, Sandra Petrović Jakovina, Helmut Scholz, Indrek Tarand, Luis Yáñez-Barnuevo García

Members against

Alfredo Antoniozzi, Elmar Brok, Zdravka Bušić, Paulo Rangel, Algirdas Saudargas, György Schöpflin, Manfred Weber

Members abstained

 

Members present for the final vote

Alfredo Antoniozzi, Andrew Henry William Brons, Zdravka Bušić, Carlo Casini, Andrew Duff, Ashley Fox, Roberto Gualtieri, Enrique Guerrero Salom, Gerald Häfner, Daniel Hannan, Stanimir Ilchev, Constance Le Grip, David Martin, Morten Messerschmidt, Sandra Petrović Jakovina, Paulo Rangel, Algirdas Saudargas, Indrek Tarand, Manfred Weber, Luis Yáñez-Barnuevo García

Substitute(s) present for the final vote

Elmar Brok, Sylvie Guillaume, Anneli Jäätteenmäki, Helmut Scholz, György Schöpflin