Rule 141 : Special scrutiny hearings

1.   In order to question one or more Commissioners on an issue of major political importance, the Conference of Presidents may, upon a proposal by the President, by a committee or by Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold, convene at short notice a special scrutiny hearing.

2.   The Conference of Presidents shall determine the number of Members to be appointed for a given special scrutiny hearing by the political groups and the non-attached Members. Where relevant, political groups shall ensure that the committees concerned are duly represented.

3.   A special scrutiny hearing shall be chaired by the President or, by delegation, by one of the Vice-Presidents. It shall be entirely public unless decided otherwise by the Conference of Presidents.

4.   The speaking time allocated to a political group shall be treated as a block. Each political group shall distribute the speaking time within its block between those of its members who are participating in the hearing. Speaking time allocated to non-attached Members shall not be treated as a block.

5.   Following the conclusion of the special scrutiny hearing, its Chair may submit to the Conference of Presidents written recommendations on behalf of Members who participated in the hearing.