🤔 How does the @Europarl_EN decide which committee is responsible for a file? Why were the #DataAct allocated to @EP_Industry while #EHDS went to @EP_Justice? As requested by many, my new #EP thread will explain the opaque steps before #MEPs can finally start to work (🧵👇)
After its adoption by the College of Commissioners and its successive public presentation by the @EU_Commission, the proposal is - in line with the ordinary legislative procedure - transmitted to @Europarl_EN and @EUCouncil in order for the co-legislators to make a co-decision.
Step 1️⃣ the Referral Unit in DG Presidency checks the legislative proposal mainly on the basis of the @Europarl_EN's ANNEX VI in the 'Rules of Procedures', makes a referral to a lead committee and appoint opinion giving committees. This decision is then announced in plenary. 
Step 2️⃣ after announcement in plenary, other committees have 4 weeks to challenge the referral. If it is challenged, the negotiations in the Conference of Committee Chairs (CCC) begin. This political body consists of the 20 chairs and is currently led by @berndlange (S&D).
Committees interested in file are now trying to either secure their lead or increase their involvement. CCC Chair & secretariat try to encourage agreement. However, if - within the deadline set - the committees fail to reach deal, CCC Chair has the mandate to issue recommendation
This CCC recommendation determines either that (a) referral stays like it is, (b) other committees are involved according to Rule 56 (normal opinion), 57 (associated), 58 (joint committee procedure) of 'Rules of Procedure' or (c) lead committee loses its lead to another committee
Step 3️⃣ the CCC recommendation is then put on the agenda of the Conference of Presidents (COP), which consists of all leaders of the political groups as well as a representative of non-attached MEPs. COP is chaired by the @EP_President, which is currently @RobertaMetsola (EPP)
Normally, CCC recommendations are automatically approved by COP as a 'Decision without Debate' when the draft agenda is adopted at the beginning of the COP meeting. However, there are also cases where CCC recommendations are discussed and massively changed by the Presidents.
You find that already complicated? Well, there is more...legislative files are frequently allocated based on >political deals< that can be totally at odds with ANNEX VI of the 'Rules of Procedures' and the procedural steps outlined in this Twitter thread so far.
Example AI Act (#AIA): CCC proposal with Rule 58 IMCO/JURI was adopted as 'Decision without Debate' when COP approved its draft meeting agenda on 25 November 2021 in Strasbourg. Then - after the COP session - the file was reopened and changed in written procedure to 58 IMCO/LIBE
Example European Health Data Space (#EHDS): Referral Unit has referred this file to @EP_Justice. Yet, taking a closer look, everything except the legal base is screaming @EP_Environment, which is the competent committee for e-health & right addressee for most of the 72 Articles.
Both examples illustrate once more that the current system is broke💣It's politics not the 'Rules of Procedures' that decide which committee gets a legislative file💣 A disastrous situation for a democracy: it is time for massive internal reforms. See 👇 journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17…
The good news is that more and more people are becoming aware of the deficits caused by competence struggles. The former EP president @DavidSassoli started focus groups on internal reforms and also the new EP president @RobertaMetsola is working hard to change the status quo.
In this @Contexte article, you can find a good overview where the discussion in the @Europarl_EN currently is & what ideas are being discussed 👇 contexte.com/article/pouvoi…
Two steps are crucial: (1) establish ad-hoc committees with legislative powers for horizontal topics like #GreenDeal (2) redraft ANNEX VI to make respective committee competences crystal-clear⚠️We can no longer afford to have an @Europarl_EN that doesn't follow its own rules⚠️
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