Parliament – Commission Framework Agreement: Committee endorses revised rules 

The Committee on Constitutional Affairs adopted a report (19 votes in favour, no votes against, 6 abstentions) supporting the deal reached between the negotiators of the European Parliament and the Commission to revise the Framework Agreement between the two institutions.

Key improvements

Among the improvements provisionally agreed in September 2025 MEPs welcome, in particular, the following:

• the affirmation of the principle of equal treatment of Parliament and Council and the role of the Commission as an honest broker, in particular by ensuring a comprehensive, timely, and detailed flow of information to Parliament;
• the strengthening of the Commission’s political accountability by ensuring the presence of the competent Commissioners in plenary and committee debates;
• assurances that Commissioners will in general be summoned by Parliament as part of its political oversight function, and Parliament may request that a specific Commissioner be present in plenary when the agenda justifies it;
• an obligation for Commissioners to attend committee meetings, and the provision that only in case their presence is not explicitly required, they can be replaced by a high-ranking official in a position to be able to provide substantive answers;
• commitments by the Commission that, whenever it intends to withdraw a proposal, the competent Commissioner will attend committee meetings on this issue, as well as to provide comprehensive justification and information on the exceptional and emergency cases where its proposals are based on Article 122 TFEU;
• the strengthening of Parliament’s right of initiative, including proposals to amend or repeal existing legislation, by enhancing the Commission’s follow-up;
• that Commission requests for Parliament to apply urgent/fast-track procedures will be made in writing and will be justified; and
• improved information flows on international agreements, strengthening democratic accountability and transparency in external policy.

Quote

The rapporteur and Chair of the Committee, Sven Simon (EPP, DE), commented: “We achieved significant progress for the Parliament in these negotiations, in which we were strictly guided by the Treaties, and I am very satisfied with the outcome. I fully stand by the agreement reached and remain convinced that it represents a balanced and legally sound step in the right direction for the Union. The Framework Agreement on relations between the Parliament and the Commission dates back to 2010, and interinstitutional cooperation has evolved significantly since then, as reflected in the ‘Parliament 2024’ reform and the subsequent revision of the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure adopted in April 2024. Overall, the new Framework Agreement reinforces Parliament’s prerogatives without altering the institutional balance laid down in the Treaties and provides a more effective, transparent and accountable basis for cooperation in the service of Union citizens.”

Next steps

The report is expected to be tabled for a vote in plenary during the sitting of 9-12 March 2026.

Background

The Parliament - Commission Framework Agreement lays down rules for cooperation in legislative, budgetary, and political matters. Presidents Metsola and von der Leyen kickstarted the revision process in October 2024, shortly after the 2024 European elections. The updated draft text builds on the 2010 agreement, reflecting more than a decade of practice and evolving institutional needs in light of the post-Lisbon treaty framework and Parliament’s evolving role.