Keres

This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the AFCO Committee, examines the legislative procedures in the Treaties. It focuses on special legislative procedures where either Parliament or the Council adopts an act with the participation (consultation or consent) of the other institution. This should not mean, however, that the participating institution could not influence the substance of the act. Instead ...

The role of the European Council – to 'provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development' and to define its 'general political directions and priorities' – has evolved rapidly over the last decade. Since June 2014, the European Council Oversight Unit within the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), the European Parliament's in-house research service and think tank, has been monitoring and analysing the European Council's delivery on commitments made in the conclusions of ...

The Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) decided to organise a workshop with the aim to get a better understanding about customs control practices in Member States and their possible improvements. This briefing provides background information to this event that took place the 15th June 2022.

The European Commission proposed to improve the Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism established by Regulation (EU) No 1053/2013. The accompanying impact assessment (IA) provides a well defined problem definition, substantiated with evidence. Furthermore, the stakeholder opinions are reported consistently throughout the IA and are used as input for the combination of measures under the preferred option. Moreover, the data sources underpinning the IA are recent, reliable, consistently referenced ...

When adopting implementing acts, the Commission acts under the scrutiny of the Member States (represented in specialised committees and an appeal committee) following mechanisms set out in the Comitology Regulation. In 2017, the Commission proposed amendments to this Regulation, aimed at eliminating 'no opinion' deadlocks in the appeal committee and increasing transparency in the procedure. The European Parliament is expected to vote on the proposal during the December plenary session.

The establishment of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) with the entry into force of the EPPO Regulation of 12 October 2017 requires the regulation governing investigations by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to be adapted. In 2018, the Commission adopted a proposal to revise the OLAF Regulation as regards cooperation with the EPPO and the effectiveness of OLAF investigations. The European Parliament is expected to vote in December on the early second-reading agreement reached in ...

This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the LIBE Committee, assesses the operation and impact of the Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism in its first multiannual programme (2014-19), with the aim of identifying what has worked well and developing recommendations to strengthen it. The past decade has presented multiple controversies involving the governments of Schengen states as well as EU institutions ...

Vice-president Dombrovskis and Commissioner Gentiloni have been invited to an Economic Dialogue on the European Commission Opinions on the 2020 Draft Budgetary Plans of the Euro Area Member States. The Dialogue is based on Articles 7 and 15 of EU Regulation 473/2013.

Under the rule of law, governmental powers are limited by law and may be exercised only on the basis of law. An independent judiciary is indispensable to guaranteeing this state of affairs, and appropriate procedures, including legal remedies, must be in place to guarantee that individuals can protect their rights and trigger judicial review of governmental action. The rule of law has been an enduring basic value of the European Union from its inception, and the principles of the rule of law have ...

This study discusses the evolution and experience of conditionalities in Cohesion policy and draws relevant policy recommendations on its future development in the light of the 2021-27 legislative proposals of the European Commission, including the proposal on a rule of law conditionality.