Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 05/2012

How to Negotiate under Co-decision in the EU: Reforming Trilogues and First-Reading Agreements

Lukas Obholzer, Christine Reh

May 2012

Centre for European Policy Studies

Abstract

The Constitutional Affairs Committee is currently reviewing the European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure to increase the effectiveness, transparency and inclusiveness of first-reading agreements under co-decision. This policy brief takes a stand as to which rules should be adopted to achieve these objectives. Given the steep rise of early agreements and Parliament’s role as a guarantor of EU legitimacy, the authors place a premium on inclusiveness and transparency.