Role of the European Parliament

In spite of Article 218 TFEU not recognizing any role for the EP at the start of the negotiation process, the EP can nevertheless express its views and send strong signals to the Commission as to its expectations and criteria for when it will vote on the consent. It should debate and adopt motions on the mandate and on pre-ratification commitments. The EP should make clear that it will not give its consent in case no ex ante SIA has been properly carried out so that it helped negotiators to frame the future FTA. The European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament could ideally iron out an interinstitutional agreement enabling the EP to amend the EU negotiating mandate. In case the recommendations of the Conference on the Future of Europe lead to a Treaty reform, such a possibility should be enshrined in the updated European Treaties. The EP should also discuss with the Commission the evaluation by the SIAs’ authors of their comparison between the final product and their own recommendations, the ex post evaluation of the agreements and the implementation report of the common commercial policy. The vote of an urgency resolution concerning a trading partner should elicit a proper followup by the EEAS and DG Trade. The EP (International Trade Committee) should organize hearings of members of the EU DAGs. MEPs of the DROI, ENVI, DEVE and EMPL Committees should be invited to take the floor. The Monitoring Group should systematically invite a representative of the EU DAG and when appropriate, a representative of the DAG of the trading partner. The MG should have an annual discussion on the progress made with respect to the time-bound commitments and milestones agreed in the TSD chapters. It should also ensure that national parliaments are duly informed at every step of the process leading to the conclusion of an FTA.