11. Interpretations of the Rules of Procedure

The President informed the House, under Rule 226(3), of the following interpretation of Rule 5(5), provided by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, which had been consulted on the application of that provision:

‘Access to confidential information is subject to the rules laid down in interinstitutional agreements concluded by Parliament relating to the treatment of confidential information1a and to the internal rules for their implementation adopted by Parliament's competent bodies1b.

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1a    Interinstitutional Agreement of 20 November 2002 between the European Parliament and the Council concerning access by the European Parliament to sensitive information of the Council in the field of security and defence policy (OJ C 298, 30.11.2002, p. 1).

Framework Agreement of 20 October 2010 on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission (OJ L 304, 20.11.2010, p. 47).

Interinstitutional Agreement of 12 March 2014 between the European Parliament and the Council concerning the forwarding to and handling by the European Parliament of classified information held by the Council on matters other than those in the area of the common foreign and security policy (OJ C 95, 1.4.2014, p. 1).

1b   Decision of the European Parliament of 23 October 2002 on the implementation of the Interinstitutional Agreement governing European Parliament access to sensitive Council information in the sphere of security and defence policy (OJ C 298, 30.11.2002, p. 4).

Decision of the Bureau of 15 April 2013 concerning the rules governing the treatment of confidential information by the European Parliament (OJ C 96, 1.4.2014, p. 1).’

If this interpretation was not contested by a political group or at least the threshold number of Members established in Rule 226(4) within 24 hours of being announced, it would be deemed to have been adopted. Otherwise, the matter would be put to the vote in the House.

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The President informed the House, under Rule 226(3), of the following interpretation of Rule 210a, provided by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, which had been consulted on the application of that provision:

‘This Rule applies to the extent that the applicable legal framework relating to the treatment of confidential information provides for the possibility of consulting the confidential information at a meeting in camera outside the secure facilities.’

If this interpretation was not contested by a political group or at least the threshold number of Members established in Rule 226(4) within 24 hours of being announced, it would be deemed to have been adopted. Otherwise, the matter would be put to the vote in the House.