Dies ist eine HTML Version eines Anhanges der Informationsfreiheitsanfrage 'Standard modalities for hearings referred to in Article 7(1) TEU'.


 
  
 
 
 

Council of the 
 
 

 European Union 
   
 
Brussels, 28 June 2019 
(OR. en) 
    10641/19 
 
 
 
 
LIMITE 

 
JAI 749 

FREMP 88 
 
 
POLGEN 129 
AG 27 
ANTICI 8 
 
COVER NOTE 
From: 
The General Secretariat of the Council 
To: 
Antici Group 
Subject: 
Standard modalities for hearings referred to in Article 7(1) TEU 
 
 
 
For the purpose of discussions at the Antici meeting next Tuesday 2 July, delegations will find in 
the Annex, the standard modalities for hearings referred to in Article 7(1) TEU as proposed by the 
incoming Presidency.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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ANNEX 
 
Standard modalities for hearings under Article 7(1) TEU procedures  

 
1.  Article 7(1) TEU foresees that before the Council eventually determines that there is a clear 
risk of a serious breach by a Member State of the values referred to in Article 2 TEU or the 
Council addresses recommendations to it, the Member State with regard to which the 
procedure is triggered ('the Member State concerned') shall be heard. 
2.  As the Treaty does not lay down specific modalities for hearings under Article 7(1) TEU, 
standard modalities for hearings are laid down below. 
Scope 
3.  The substantive scope of the issues to be covered by a hearing should be agreed by Coreper 
in keeping within the scope of the issues as raised in the Reasoned Proposal triggering the 
procedure of Article 7(1) TEU.  
Configuration 
4.  Up to eight seats (in a 3+2+3 format) are foreseen for the Member State concerned. 
Arrangements are made to ensure that Heads of Delegations of the other Member States can 
be assisted by a member of their Delegation at the front table (2+3 format).  
 
A. Case of a Reasoned Proposal by one third of the Member States 
5.  At the first hearing, a representative of the Member States that submitted the Reasoned 
Proposal shall present it; this should not exceed 20 minutes. The Member State concerned 
shall then be given the opportunity to present its views; this should not exceed one hour. A 
question and answer session is subsequently foreseen, according to the rules presented in 
paragraph 8. Then, the Commission may provide comments or information relevant for the 
issues covered by the hearing; this should not exceed 10 minutes. If further hearings are 
arranged, they shall be structured as set out below in paragraphs 6 to 10. 
 
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6.  At the outset of a hearing, a representative of the Member States that submitted the 
Reasoned Proposal has the possibility to provide an update on issues to be covered by the 
hearing; this should not exceed 15 minutes. The Member State concerned is given the 
opportunity to present its views with regard to the said issues; this should not exceed 20 
minutes. 
7.  The Commission may provide comments or information relevant for the issues to be 
covered by the hearing; this should not exceed 10 minutes.  
8.  Member States, other than those that submitted the Reasoned Proposal, are invited to put up 
to two questions for each issue included in the substantive scope to the Member State 
concerned. Each question should not exceed two minutes. The Member State concerned is 
given the opportunity to respond and this should not exceed 10 minutes. If additional 
clarification is needed, delegations can ask follow-up questions, while respecting the same 
time limit of two minutes. Where necessary, the Member State concerned has the 
possibility to further elaborate its answers in writing.  
9.  At the end of the hearing, the Member States that submitted the Reasoned Proposal are 
given the opportunity to make observations on the elements provided by Member State 
concerned; this should not exceed 15 minutes. The Member State concerned is given the 
opportunity to present its own observations and remarks. 
10. The Presidency presents procedural conclusions. No assessment on the substance of the 
issues is included. 
 
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B. Case of Reasoned Proposal by the European Parliament 
11. At the first hearing, the Presidency shall report to the Council about its contacts with the 
European Parliament on its Reasoned Proposal. Alternatively, where the Council has 
decided, in accordance with its Rules of Procedure, to invite a European Parliament 
representative to present its Reasoned Proposal, the representative shall make such 
presentation; this should not exceed 20 minutes. After that, the representative should leave 
the meeting room. The Member State concerned shall then be given the opportunity to 
present its views; this should not exceed one hour. A question and answer session is 
subsequently foreseen, as set out  in paragraph 14. Then, the Commission may provide 
comments or information relevant for the issues covered by the hearing; this should not 
exceed 10 minutes. If further hearings are arranged, they shall be structured as set out 
below in paragraphs 12 to 16. 
12. At the outset of a hearing, the Member State concerned is given the opportunity to present 
its views with regard to the issues to be covered by the hearing; this should not exceed 20 
minutes.  
13. The Commission may provide comments or information relevant for the issues to be 
covered by the hearing; this should not exceed 10 minutes.  
14. Member States are invited to put up to two questions for each issue included in the 
substantive scope to the Member State concerned. Each question should not exceed two 
minutes. The Member State concerned is given the opportunity to respond and this should 
not exceed 10 minutes. If additional clarification is needed, delegations can ask follow-up 
questions, while respecting the same time limit of two minutes. Where necessary, the 
Member State concerned has the possibility to further elaborate its answers in writing.  
15. The Member State concerned is given the opportunity to present its own observations and 
remarks. 
16. The Presidency presents procedural conclusions. No assessment on the substance of the 
issues is included. 
 
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C. Case of a Reasoned Proposal by the Commission 
17. At the first hearing, the Commission shall present its Reasoned Proposal; this should not 
exceed 20 minutes. The Member State concerned shall then be given the opportunity to 
present its views; this should not exceed one hour. A question and answer session is 
subsequently foreseen, according to the rules presented in paragraph 20. If further hearings 
are arranged, they shall be structured as set out below in paragraphs 18 to 22. 
18. At the outset of a hearing, the Commission has the possibility to provide an update on the 
issues to be covered by the hearing; this should not exceed 15 minutes. 
19. The Member State concerned is given the opportunity to present its views with regard to the 
said issues; this should not exceed 20 minutes. 
20. Member States are invited to put up to two questions to the Member State concerned for 
each issue included in the substantive scope. Each question should not exceed two minutes. 
The Member State concerned is given the opportunity to respond and this should not exceed 
10 minutes. If additional clarification is needed, delegations can ask follow-up questions, 
while respecting the same time limit of two minutes. Where necessary, the Member State 
concerned has the possibility to further elaborate on its answers in writing.  
21. At the end of the hearing, the Commission is given the opportunity to make observations on 
the elements provided by Member State concerned; this should not exceed 15 minutes. The 
Member State concerned is given the opportunity to present its own observations and 
remarks. 
22. The Presidency presents procedural conclusions. No assessment on the substance of the 
issues is included. 
 
Outcome 
23. Minutes of the hearing reflect the procedural conclusions. In addition, a formal report is 
made by the General Secretariat of the Council. 
 
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Transitional and final provisions 
24. For procedures under Article 7(1) TEU that have started before the present standard 
modalities for hearings were set out, the modalities laid down in this document shall be 
applicable as from the relevant stage reached by a procedure. 
 
Possible external guests (outside the hearing) 
25. In accordance with its Rules of Procedure and outside the formal hearing(s), the Council 
may invite external guests for an exchange of views on one or more subject matters referred 
to in the Reasoned Proposal. As soon as the exchange of views is over, the guests should 
leave the meeting room. 
 
 
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