Zita Gurmai, rapporteur. − Mr President, since the regulation on the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) has been applicable as of 1 April this year, it is Parliament’s responsibility to adapt our Rules of Procedure in order to ensure the smooth organisation of the public hearings to which initiative organisers are entitled following successful ECIs. I am pleased to tell you that the first proposed ECI was registered on 9 May, Europe Day, and that it has been followed by five further ECIs so far.
I am also very pleased that so many of you show such an interest in the ECI. I have therefore made the possible involvement of any parliamentary committee in the organisation of public hearings a priority in my report. It is our task to make sure that the ECI is a strong, credible, agenda-setting instrument and a tool for participatory democracy in the EU.
There are a few technical aspects of my report and a voting list which I would like to clarify before we proceed to the vote. Firstly, in order to arrive at a reasonable compromise, I decided to vote in favour of Amendment 4 as tabled by the ALDE Group and to withdraw my support for part 5 of Amendment 1 as voted in the committee.
Secondly, in order to guarantee a coherent final adopted text, I would like to propose the following: if Amendment 5 is adopted but without part 3, I propose that we vote on part 3 of Amendment 1 and, if necessary, on part 3 of Amendment 3; then again, if Amendment 1 is adopted but without part 3, I propose that we vote on part 3 of Amendment 3. I hope you could follow all that! Thank you very much for your support. And of course I will ask for electronic votes on split vote part 3 of Amendment 5 and, if needed, on split vote part 3 of Amendment 1 and of Amendment 3.
Zita Gurmai (S&D). - Mr President, I did ask if you could kindly hold an electronic vote on this.
– Während der Abstimmung über Änderungsantrag 5
Zita Gurmai (S&D). - Mr President, I feel very sorry as we have already voted on the second part, because I actually asked for an electronic vote on the third part. So thank you again for the electronic vote on the second, but I kindly ask for a vote on the third part of Amendment 5. Thank you.