Rule 48  : Own-initiative reports

1.    A committee intending to draw up a report and to submit to Parliament a motion for a resolution on a subject within its competence on which neither a consultation nor a request for an opinion has been referred to it under Rule 188(1) may do so only with the authorisation of the Conference of Presidents. Where such authorisation is withheld the reason must always be stated. Where the subject of the report is a proposal tabled by a Member pursuant to Rule 42(2), authorisation may be withheld only if the conditions set out in Article 5 of the Statute for Members and in Article 225 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union are not met.

The Conference of Presidents takes a decision on requests for authorisation to draw up reports submitted pursuant to paragraph 1 on the basis of implementing provisions which it itself lays down. If a committee's competence to draw up a report for which it has requested authorisation is challenged, the Conference of Presidents takes a decision within six weeks on the basis of a recommendation from the Conference of Committee Chairs, or, if no such recommendation is forthcoming, from its Chair. If the Conference of Presidents fails to take a decision within that period, the recommendation is declared to have been approved.

2.    Motions for resolutions contained in own-initiative reports shall be examined by Parliament under the short presentation procedure set out in Rule 139. Amendments to such motions for resolutions shall only be admissible for consideration in plenary if tabled by the rapporteur to take account of new information or by at least one-tenth of the Members of Parliament. Political groups may table alternative motions for resolutions in accordance with Rule 157(4). This paragraph shall not apply in cases where the subject of the report qualifies for a key debate in plenary, where the report is drawn up pursuant to the right of initiative referred to in Rule 41 or 42, or where the report can be considered a strategic report according to the criteria set out by the Conference of Presidents (1).

3.    Where the subject of the report comes under the right of initiative referred to in Rule 41, authorisation may be withheld only on the grounds that the conditions set out in the Treaties are not met.

4.    In the cases referred to in Rule 41 and Rule 42, the Conference of Presidents shall take a decision within two months.