Rules of Procedure of the Interparliamentary Conference on Economic andFinancial Governance of the European UnionPREAMBLEThese Rules of Procedure are designed to facilitate and improve the work of the InterparliamentaryConference on Economic and Financial Governance of the European Union, hereinafter referred toas the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG [other

proposals for an acronym are welcome].

The Interparliamentary Conference on EFG shall be organised in accordance with the decision of theConference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments taken on 23 April 2013 in Nicosia toestablish a conference foreseen in Article 13 of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governancein the Economic and Monetary Union, hereinafter referred to as the TSCG, as well as Protocol 1 ofthe Treaty of Lisbon on the role of national Parliaments in the European Union and the Guidelinesfor Interparliamentary Cooperation in the European Union as adopted at the Conference of Speakerson 21 June 2008 in Lisbon.The Interparliamentary Conference on EFG is established with the aim of improving democraticlegitimacy and accountability in the area of economic and financial governance of the EuropeanUnion (EU), particularly in the Economic and Monetary Union, strengthening cooperation betweennational Parliaments and the European Parliament, and ensuring a greater role for nationalParliaments in matters covered by the TSCG.The Interparliamentary Conference on EFG shall be organised in the framework of the parliamentarydimension of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, undertaken by the national Parliament of theMember State holding the Presidency, hereinafter referred to as the Presidency Parliament, and theEuropean Parliament.These Rules of Procedure were adopted at the meeting of the Interparliamentary Conference on EFGon […].1. COMPETENCES AND SCOPE1.1 The Interparliamentary Conference on EFG shall provide a framework for debate and exchangeof information and best practices on matters of economic and financial governance of the EUand shall maintain a special focus on the budgetary issues and procedures covered by the TSCG,without prejudicing the competences of the EU Parliaments.1.2 The Interparliamentary Conference on EFG replaces the meetings of the chairpersons ofrelevant committees organised in the framework of the parliamentary dimension of thePresidency of the Council by each Presidency Parliament and the European Parliamentary Weekof the European Semester organised by the European Parliament in the first semester of eachyear.1.3 The Interparliamentary Conference on EFG may, in accordance with the procedures laid downin Article 7 of these Rules of Procedure, adopt Conclusions on matters related to economic andfinancial governance of the EU, particularly the budgetary matters covered by the TSCG. The

Conclusions shall not bind national Parliaments or the European Parliament and shall notprejudge their positions.2. DESIGNATION OF THE CONFERENCE2.1 The designation of the Interparliamentary Conference shall be “Interparliamentary Conferenceon Economic and Financial Governance of the European Union – Interparliamentary Conferenceon EFG”.3. ROLE OF THE PRESIDENCY AND ORGANISATION OF THE MEETINGS3.1Time and place of the meetingsThe Interparliamentary Conference on EFG shall convene twice a year. It shall be coordinatedwith the cycle of the European Semester. In the first semester of each year, it shall be held inBrussels and will be co-hosted and co-presided over by the Presidency Parliament and theEuropean Parliament. In the second semester of each year, it shall be held in the Member Stateholding the Presidency and presided over by the Presidency Parliament. The date of the nextmeeting shall be fixed and announced by the date of the preceding meeting at the latest.3.2Presidential TroikaThe Presidential Troika of the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG consists of the delegationsof the national Parliaments of the Presidency, the preceding Presidency, the followingPresidency, and the European Parliament. Each delegation consists of a maximum of fourMembers of its Parliament.3.3SecretariatThe hosting Parliament(s) shall be responsible for providing the secretariat. The secretariat ofthe European Parliament and the co-hosting Presidency Parliament, as well as the hostingPresidency Parliament of the second semester should stay in contact to ensure the continuity ofthe work of the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG.3.4Conduct of the meetingsAt the beginning of each meeting, the presiding Parliament(s) shall set the timetable of themeeting and shall determine the order and the length of interventions. Meetings shall bechaired by the chairperson(s) of the relevant committees of the presiding Parliament(s).3.5DocumentsThe secretariat(s) of the presiding Parliament(s) shall prepare the necessary documents andshall draw up brief minutes of the meeting.3.6Side eventsApart from the plenary meeting, side events, such as topical debates in smaller groups, workinggroups or break-out sessions, can be organised in the framework of the InterparliamentaryConference on EFG, including by Parliaments other than the presiding Parliament(s).

3.7VotingIn general the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG shall seek to take decisions, including onthe adoption of the Conclusions, by consensus. If this is not possible, decisions shall be takenwith a qualified majority of at least 3/4 of the votes cast. The majority of 3/4 of the votes castmust at the same time constitute at least half of all votes. Each Parliament has two votes. In thecase of bicameral Parliaments, each Chamber is given one vote.3.8Public access to the meetingsMeetings of the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG shall be public, unless otherwisedetermined.4. COMPOSITION4.1MembersThe Interparliamentary Conference on EFG is composed of delegations from the relevantcommittees of the national Parliaments of the EU Members States and the EuropeanParliament. The composition and size of delegations shall be determined by each Parliament.The hosting Parliament(s) may, for budgetary or limited facilities reasons, suggest an optimaldelegation size.4.2ObserversNational Parliaments of an EU candidate country can be represented by a delegation of amaximum of two observers each. The presiding Parliament(s) may also invite, after consultingthe Presidential Troika, observers from other EU institutions or bodies.4.3Member(s) of the Commission responsible for economic and monetary affairsMember(s) of the Commission responsible for economic and monetary affairs shall be invited tothe Interparliamentary Conference on EFG to set out the priorities and strategies of the EU inthe area of economic and financial governance, particularly on matters covered by the TSCG.4.4Special guestsThe presiding Parliament(s), after consulting the Presidential Troika, may also invite specialguests and experts as observers.5. AGENDA5.1 A draft agenda shall be drawn up by the presiding Parliament(s) in close cooperation with thePresidential Troika. The delegations may propose to the presiding Parliament(s) that a specificitem is put on or removed from the draft agenda. The decision on the final agenda shall bemade by the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG at the beginning of every meeting.5.2 The agenda of each meeting shall include matters relating to economic and financialgovernance of the EU, particularly those matters covered by the TSCG, in line with the scopeand role of the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG.

5.3 A draft agenda, together with all relevant information on the practical aspects of theforthcoming meeting, such as travel and accommodation arrangements, shall be communicatedby the presiding Parliament(s) to all other Parliaments no later than eight weeks prior to eachmeeting.6. LANGUAGES6.1. The working languages of the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG shall be English and French.6.2. Simultaneous interpretation from and into English and French, as well as from and into thelanguage of the Presidency Member State shall be provided by the host Parliament(s).Simultaneous interpretation into additional languages may be provided if requested and iftechnically possible and its costs would be borne by the relevant national delegation or theEuropean Parliament.6.3. Documents of the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG shall be communicated to nationalParliaments and the European Parliament in English and French.6.4 The Conclusions of the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG shall be drawn up in a singleoriginal in English and French, each of these texts being equally authentic.7. CONCLUSIONS7.1 The Interparliamentary Conference on EFG may adopt non-binding Conclusions on matters ofeconomic and financial governance of the EU related to the agenda of the meeting.7.2. Draft Conclusions of the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG shall be drawn up by thepresiding Parliament(s) in English and French, in close cooperation with the Presidential Troika,and communicated to all delegations before the relevant meeting in a reasonable time for anyamendments to be considered and submitted.7.3 Once the Conclusions have been adopted, the presiding Parliament(s) shall communicate thefinal texts in English and French, each of these texts being equally authentic, to all delegations,to the Presidents of national Parliaments and of the European Parliament, to the Presidents ofthe European Council and the European Commission, and Member(s) of the EuropeanCommission responsible for economic and monetary affairs, for their information.8. REVISION OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE8.1. Any national Parliament and the European Parliament may submit proposals to amend theseRules of Procedure. Amendments shall be submitted in writing to all national Parliaments andthe European Parliament at least four weeks before meetings of the InterparliamentaryConference on EFG.8.2 Any amendments, which the delegations of national Parliaments or the European Parliamentmay propose to the Rules of Procedure, shall be subject to a decision by the InterparliamentaryConference on EFG, and must be in accordance with the framework set by the Conference ofSpeakers of the EU Parliaments.4

8.3 Proposals for a revision of the Rules of Procedure should be put on the agenda of the firstmeeting of the Interparliamentary Conference on EFG following the presentation of theproposal.9. REVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CONFERENCE9.1 The Interparliamentary Conference on EFG shall appoint an ad hoc review committee whichwould, in the second semester of 2015, evaluate the workings of the InterparliamentaryConference on EFG. The relevant Presidency Parliament shall submit the conclusions of thereview together with specific recommendations to be deliberated upon by the Conference ofSpeakers of European Union Parliaments in 2016.10. ENTRY INTO FORCE10.1 These Rules of Procedure are drawn up in a single original in English and French, each of thesetexts being equally authentic. Translations into other official languages of the European Unionshall be the responsibility of the relevant Parliaments. They shall enter into force on theadoption date.