Rule 211 : Public hearings on citizens’ initiatives

1.   When the Commission has published a citizens’ initiative in the relevant register pursuant to point (a) of Article 10(1) of Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1), the President of the European Parliament, on a proposal from the Chair of the Conference of Committee Chairs:

(a)   shall task the committee responsible for the subject-matter according to Annex V with organising the public hearing provided for in Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 211/2011; the committee responsible for petitions shall be automatically associated under Rule 54;

(b)   may, where two or more citizens' initiatives published in the relevant register pursuant to point (a) of Article 10(1) of Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 have a similar subject-matter, decide, after consulting the organisers, that a joint public hearing is to be organised at which all of the citizens' initiatives involved shall be dealt with on an equal footing.

2.   The committee responsible for the subject-matter:

(a)   shall ascertain whether the Commission has received the organisers at an appropriate level in accordance with point (b) of Article 10(1) of Regulation (EU) No 211/2011;

(b)   shall ensure, if necessary with the support of the Conference of Committee Chairs, that the Commission is properly involved in organising the public hearing and that it is represented at an appropriate level at the hearing.

3.   The Chair of the committee responsible for the subject-matter shall convene the public hearing at an appropriate date within three months of the submission of the initiative to the Commission pursuant to Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 211/2011.

4.   The committee responsible for the subject matter shall organise the public hearing at Parliament, if appropriate together with such other institutions and bodies of the Union that wish to participate. It may invite other stakeholders to attend.

The committee responsible for the subject matter shall invite a representative group of organisers, including at least one of the contact persons referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 3(2) of Regulation (EU) No 211/2011, to present the initiative at the hearing.

5.   The Bureau shall, in accordance with the arrangements agreed with the Commission, adopt rules concerning the reimbursement of incurred costs.

6.   The President of Parliament and the Chair of the Conference of Committee Chairs may delegate their powers under this Rule to a Vice-President and another committee Chair respectively.

7.   If the conditions laid down in Rule 54 or Rule 55 are met, those provisions shall also apply, mutatis mutandis, to other committees. Rules 201 and 201a shall also apply.

Rule 25(9) shall not apply to public hearings on citizens' initiatives.

8.   In the event that the Commission fails to put forward a proposal for a legal act on a citizens' initiative, successfully submitted to it in accordance with Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 211/2011, within a twelve-month period after issuing a positive opinion on it and setting out in a communication the action it intends to take, the committee responsible for the subject matter may organise a hearing in consultation with the citizen's initiative organisers and, if necessary, may activate the procedure laid down in Rule 46 with a view to exercising Parliament's right to request the Commission to submit an appropriate proposal.