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New Pact Makes Parliament and Commission Work Closer

Published March 11, 2026

Goal: Boost Parliament oversight

This new agreement between the European Parliament and the European Commission gives Parliament more power to check the Commission, forces the Commission to share more information, attend meetings, do impact studies, and work together on laws, budgets and international deals.

Transparency
Transparency

European Parliament Decision – 11 March 2026

The European Parliament has adopted a revised Framework Agreement with the European Commission for the period 2024‑2029. The agreement updates the 2010 framework and strengthens the partnership between the two institutions.

Key points of the agreement

Area What the agreement says
Information flow The Commission must give Parliament a detailed, timely, and transparent flow of information on policy initiatives, legislative proposals, and the composition of the new College of Commissioners.
Commission accountability Commissioners must attend Parliament’s plenary and committee meetings when their portfolios are discussed. They must also be present for up to 90 minutes of Question Time on relevant themes.
Impact assessments The Commission must conduct independent impact assessments and publish them in a transparent way, including a “do‑nothing” option.
Parliament’s initiative Parliament’s right to request a Commission proposal (Article 225 TFEU) is strengthened. The Commission must respond within three months and give a detailed follow‑up.
Exceptional measures (Article 122 TFEU) The Commission must provide full justification and information on any use of Article 122, and must report on implementation within three months of the act’s entry into force.
International agreements Parliament must be informed at every stage of negotiations, including draft negotiating directives, and must receive the same information as the Council.
Budget and financial matters The Commission must inform Parliament of any new financial commitments and provide the necessary data for the discharge procedure.
Monitoring and compliance Parliament will monitor the agreement’s implementation and can request the Commission to comply with all provisions.

Procedural commitments

  • The Commission will present the composition and gender balance of the new Commissioners before Parliament’s consent procedure.
  • Commissioners will be invited to attend the Conference of Presidents at least twice a year and will meet with Parliament’s Vice‑Presidents on key issues.
  • Parliament will keep the Commission informed of its agenda and will invite Commissioners to plenary sessions when needed.
  • The Commission will provide a detailed justification for any withdrawal of a proposal and will attend committee meetings to explain its intentions.

Annexes (summarised)

Annex Purpose
I – Commission meetings with national experts Sets out how the Commission will share agendas and documents with Parliament when it holds meetings with national experts.
II – Forwarding of confidential information Defines the rules for sending EU‑classified and sensitive non‑classified information to Parliament, including security and access procedures.
III – Negotiation and conclusion of international agreements Details how the Commission will inform Parliament during negotiations, provide draft negotiating directives, and share final texts.
IV – Timetable for the Commission Work Programme Provides a yearly schedule for the Commission’s work programme, including legislative priorities, soft‑law initiatives, and the timing of parliamentary debates and resolutions.

Overall effect

The revised framework gives Parliament a stronger role in monitoring the Commission, improves transparency, and ensures that both institutions work together more closely on legislation, budget, and international agreements. The agreement is signed by the Presidents of the Parliament and the Commission and will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Licensing: The summaries on this page are available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).

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