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Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament
8th parliamentary term - January 2017
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CONTENTS
INDEX
NOTE TO THE READER

TITLE I  : MEMBERS, PARLIAMENT BODIES AND POLITICAL GROUPS
CHAPTER 1  : MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Rule 11  : Members' financial interests and standards of conduct

1.    Parliament shall lay down rules governing the transparency of its Members' financial interests in the form of a Code of Conduct which shall be adopted by a majority of its component Members and attached to these Rules of Procedure as an annex (1).

Those rules shall not otherwise prejudice or restrict Members in the exercise of their office or of any related political or other activity.

2.    Members should adopt the systematic practice of only meeting interest representatives that have registered in the Transparency Register established by means of the Agreement between the European Parliament and the European Commission on the transparency register (2).

3.    The conduct of Members shall be characterised by mutual respect, be based on the values and principles laid down in the Treaties, and particularly in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and shall respect the dignity of Parliament. Furthermore, it shall not compromise the smooth conduct of parliamentary business, the maintenance of security and order on Parliament's premises or the functioning of Parliament's equipment.

In parliamentary debates, Members shall not resort to defamatory, racist or xenophobic language or behaviour, nor shall they unfurl banners.

Members shall comply with Parliament's rules on the treatment of confidential information.

Failure to comply with those standards and rules may lead to the application of measures in accordance with Rules 165, 166 and 167.

4.    The application of this Rule shall not otherwise detract from the liveliness of parliamentary debates, nor shall it undermine Members' freedom of speech.

It shall be based on full respect for Members’ prerogatives, as laid down in Union primary law and the Statute for Members.

It shall be based on the principle of transparency and be so undertaken that the relevant provisions are made clear to Members, who shall be informed individually of their rights and obligations.

5.    Where a person employed by a Member, or another person for whom the Member has arranged access to Parliament's premises or equipment, fails to comply with the standards of conduct set out in paragraph 3, the penalties provided for in Rule 166 may, where appropriate, be imposed upon the Member concerned.

6.    The Quaestors shall determine the maximum number of assistants who may be registered by each Member.

7.    The code of conduct and the rights and privileges of former Members shall be laid down by a decision of the Bureau. No distinction shall be made in the treatment of former Members.

(1)See Annex I.
(2)Agreement of 16 April 2014 between the European Parliament and the European Commission on the transparency register for organisations and self-employed individuals engaged in EU policy- making and policy implementation (OJ L 277, 19.9.2014, p. 11).
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