PRESS RELEASES

31/07/2008	Traité de Lisbonne: Joseph Daul , MdPE, Président du Groupe du PPE-DE salue la ratification par le Parlement italien
08/07/2008	Lisbon Treaty: Netherlands ratification welcomed by Joseph Daul MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group
03/07/2008	Lisbon Treaty: Joseph Daul congratulates the Cypriot Parliament for the ratification of the Treaty
26/06/2008	Lisbon Treaty: Spain's new timetable for ratification welcomed. Joseph Daul MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group
24/06/2008	EU-Reformvertrag darf nicht als Kopfgeburt diffamiert werden/ EU Reform Treaty must not be denounced. Elmar Brok MEP

SESSION NEWS

Rules on formation of political groups

A report on the rules governing the formation of political groups in the European Parliament was adopted on Wednesday 9th July during the plenary session in Strasbourg. The current minimum threshold for forming a political group in the European Parliament is 20 MEPs, which represents a mere 2.55% of MEPs in the entire Parliament. Under the proposals adopted, the threshold has now been raised to 25, which still represents less than the average required number in national parliaments of the Member States.

Legislative summary

Reforming parliamentary rules of procedure

MEPs adopted by a large majority a report on Tuesday 8th July, drawn up by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, reforming the Parliament's own working procedures. The key aim of the reform process is to improve working procedures to make them more transparent, and also make them more in line with what citizens across the EU expect from the European Parliament. Improvements include the streamlining of written questions to the Commission, time-saving measures for presentation of reports plenary, increasing liveliness of parliamentary debates by adjusting speaking time rules, as well as properly distinguishing between 'own-initiative', or non-legislative reports.

Legislative summary

IRISH REFERENDUM

Irish Referendum: Disappointment at negative result. Joseph Daul, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group

"It is important now that the ratification process continues in the other Member States to give a clear signal that Europe is serious about reform, greater efficiency and improved democracy at European level. I can only hope that the ratification process can be completed before the European elections in June 2009"

POLICY

The role of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs is twofold. On the one hand, it deals with institutional aspects of the European integration process, in particular in the framework of the preparation and the proceedings of conventions and intergovernmental conferences, and the implementation of the EU Treaty and the assessment of its operation.

Current Key Issues
Institutional Affairs
Rules of Procedure