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Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament
9th parliamentary term - November 2023
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CONTENTS
NOTE TO THE READER
COMPENDIUM OF THE MAIN LEGAL ACTS RELATED TO THE RULES OF PROCEDURE

TITLE VII : SESSIONS
CHAPTER 5 : QUORUM, AMENDMENTS AND VOTING

Rule 194 : Explanations of votes

1.   Any Member may give an oral explanation on the single and/or final vote on an item submitted to Parliament for not longer than one minute. Such explanations of votes shall be given at the end of the sitting during which the vote concerned has taken place, unless the President decides on an exceptional basis to postpone them until later in the part-session. Each Member may give a maximum of three oral explanations of votes per part-session.

Any Member may, on such vote, hand in a written explanation of vote of no more than 200 words which shall be included on the Member’s page on Parliament's website.

Any political group may give an explanation of vote lasting not more than two minutes.

No further requests to give explanations of votes shall be accepted once the first explanation of vote on the first item has begun.

Explanations of votes are admissible on the single and/or final vote on any item submitted to Parliament. For the purposes of this Rule, the term "final vote" does not refer to the type of vote, but means the last vote on any item.

2.   Explanations of votes shall not be admissible in the case of secret ballot or votes on procedural matters.

3.   Where an item has been included on the agenda of Parliament without amendments or without debate, Members may only submit written explanations of votes in accordance with paragraph 1.

Explanations of votes given either orally or in writing must have a direct bearing on the item submitted to Parliament.

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