92001E0646

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0646/01

by John Cushnahan (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 March 2001)

Subject: Commission participation in plenary debates

The Framework Agreement calls on Commissioners to attend debates in plenary on their own business. As I understand, it only provides for limited exceptions to this general rule.

Can the Commission say how many plenary debates came within the responsibility of each Commissioner in 2000?

How many debates on their own respective portfolio did each Commissioner attend?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(4 May 2001)

As requested by the Honourable Member the annexed table provides an overview on how many plenary debates came within the responsibility of each Commissioner in 2000 and how many debates on their own respective portfolio each Commissioner attended. It should be noted that joint debates on different subjects or on a number of different reports are counted as one debate. Attendance of Commissioners in urgency debates, in question time or when replacing another Commissioner have not been counted.

In the course of the investiture debate on 15 September 1999, President Prodi gave firm commitment to Parliament to ensure the attendance of Commissioners at plenary debates falling under their competencies as a general rule. This political commitment was subsequently codified in paragraphs 19, 20 and 21 of the Framework-Agreement adopted the 5 July 2000. It was here agreed The Commission shall ensure, as a general rule, that the Commissioner responsible is present whenever this is requested by the European Parliament at plenary sittings for agenda items falling under his or her responsibility (point 19). With a view to ensuring the presence of Commissioners, the European Parliament undertakes to do its best to maintain its final draft agendas (point 20). Where the European Parliament amends its draft agenda subsequently to the meeting of the Conference of Presidents that decides the final draft agenda of a part-session, or where it moves items within the agenda within a part-session, the Commission shall use its best endeavours to ensure the presence of the Commissioner responsible (point 21).

The overall headline figure of 86 % attendance shows the Commission's determination to comply with this commitment. However, as the Honourable Member himself notes, the Framework-Agreement does permit some flexibility to accommodate the conflicting pressures on Commissioners' schedules.

The Commission would also like to recall that the figure for attendance in plenary under point 19 of the Framework Agreement gives only an incomplete picture of both overall presence and relations between Commissioners and the European Parliament. To get a comprehensive view, attendance of Commissioners in Committee meetings, meetings with parliamentary delegations, political groups, inter-groups, etc. also needs to be taken into account.

>TABLE>

Based on Strasbourg sessions Monday to Thursday and Brussels sessions.

Excludes all debates attributed solely to President Prodi; Urgency debates; votes and Commission declarations on the decisions of the day.