Rule 69c : Negotiations ahead of Parliament's first reading

1.   Where a committee has adopted a legislative report pursuant to Rule 49, it may decide, by a majority of its members, to enter into negotiations on the basis of that report.

2.   Decisions to enter into negotiations shall be announced at the beginning of the part-session following their adoption in committee. By the end of the day following the announcement in Parliament, Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold may request in writing that a committee decision to enter into negotiations be put to the vote. Parliament shall then proceed to that vote during the same part-session.

If no such request is received by the expiry of the deadline laid down in the first subparagraph, the President shall inform Parliament that this is the case. If a request is made, the President may, immediately prior to the vote, give the floor to one speaker in favour of the committee’s decision to enter into negotiations and to one speaker against that decision. Each speaker may make a statement lasting no more than two minutes.

3.   If Parliament rejects the committee’s decision to enter into negotiations, the draft legislative act and the report of the committee responsible shall be placed on the agenda of the following part-session, and the President shall set a deadline for amendments. Rule 59(4) shall apply.

4.   Negotiations may start at any time after the deadline laid down in the first subparagraph of paragraph 2 has expired without a request for a vote in Parliament on the decision to enter into negotiations having been made. If such a request has been made, negotiations may start at any time after the committee decision to enter into negotiations has been approved in Parliament.