Reglamento interno

Rules of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee

RULES OF PROCEDURE
approved by the Bureau of the GNAT on 25 June 2010 and by the Bureau of the European Parliament on 13 December 2010.


Rule 1

The EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee is established on the basis of the European Parliament's resolution of 14 May 1965 and the resolutions of the Turkish National Assembly and the Turkish Senate, adopted respectively on 22 June and 14 July 1965, and on the basis of the decision of the EEC-Turkey Association Council of 27 July 1965.

Rule 2

The task of the Committee shall be to consider issues related to Turkey's accession process. Within this context, the Committee is entrusted to follow, analyse and evaluate issues related to all existing bilateral arrangements between Turkey and the EU starting with the Association Agreement signed in Ankara on 12 September 1963 between Turkey and the EEC, the decisions of the Association Council as well as the accession negotiations which started on 3 October 2005 at the Turkey-EU Intergovernmental Accession Conference.

Furthermore, the Committee is entrusted with strengthening the relations between the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the European Parliament.

The Committee may also consider all issues within the context of Turkey-EU relations in accordance with the mandate given by the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the European Parliament

Rule 3

On a proposal from the Bureau of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, the Committee may make recommendations to the European Parliament, to the Turkish Grand National Assembly, to the Government of Turkey, to the Council of the European Union and to the European Commission.

Recommendations shall be considered adopted if they receive the support of a majority of the members of the delegation of the European Parliament and a majority of the members of the delegation of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

Rule 4

The Committee shall be composed, in equal numbers, of members appointed by the European Parliament and members appointed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

The Bureau of the Committee shall be composed of the Chairperson of the delegation of the European Parliament, the Chairperson of the delegation of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, and several Vice-Chairpersons of each delegation.

The task of the Bureau shall consist in preparing, co-ordinating and guiding the work of the EU-Turkey JPC. It shall, in particular, establish a draft agenda for each session. The Bureau shall fix deadlines for the tabling of eventualjoint statements, recommendations and amendments with a view to ensure proper debate within the JPC.

The term of office of the members of the delegations and that of the Bureau, as well as any arrangement concerning the replacement of members by substitutes, shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the respective rules of procedure of the European Parliament and the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

The office of Chairperson shall be filled by turns, from session to session, by the Chairperson of the delegation of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and by the Chairperson of the delegation of the European Parliament. If the Chairperson in-office is unable to discharge his/her duties, he/she shall be replaced by one of the Vice- Chairpersons of his/her delegation.

Rule 5

The Committee shall, in principle, meet three times a year. It shall be convened by the Chairperson-in-office, after consulting the other Chairperson.

The notice of the meeting shall include a draft agenda drawn up by the Bureau and shall normally be sent to members a fortnight in advance.

In principle, sessions shall be held by turns in Turkey and in one of the workplaces of the European Parliament.

Rule 6

Meetings of the Committee will be held in public unless the Committee decides otherwise.

Members of the Association Council, Members of the European Commission and of the Council of the European Union, and Members of the Government of Turkey as well as any person may, by decision of the Bureau, be invited to attend and speak at a meeting.

Rule 7

The secretariat of the Committee shall be provided by the secretariats of the European Parliament and of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

Minutes shall be drawn up for each session and submitted to the Committee for approval a fortnight in advance of the following meeting.

Rule 8

The official languages of the Committee shall be the official languages of the European Union and of the Republic of Turkey. Translation and interpretation shall be provided on the basis of decisions of the Bureau of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, and in accordance with the internal rules of the European Parliament.

Rule 9

The travel expenses and subsistence allowances of Committee members and officials assisting them shall be paid by the Parliament that has appointed them.

Other expenses entailed by the meeting and activities of the Committee shall be apportioned between the European Parliament and the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

Rule 10

These Rules of Procedure may be amended only by a decision of the Joint Parliamentary Committee; any amendments shall, however, be submitted for approval to the competent bodies of the European Parliament and the Turkish Grand National Assembly.