European Parliament: Abolish 1st (and 2nd) reading secret deals – let’s have open democratic debate ‘warts and all’

Abstract:

As the European Parliament starts its new term major questions hang over the way it is doing its job. In the last parliament over 80% of new measures were agreed in closed “trilogue” meeting with the Council of the European Union (the 27 governments). This practice raises fundamental issues of transparency and openness.

Since 2005 the European Parliament (hereafter referred to as the “parliament”) acquired powers of codecision (both have to agree on the final text) with the Council of the European Union (the 27 governments) on most immigration and asylum measures. A Statewatch analysis in 2006, “Secret trilogues and the democratic deficit” (Statewatch vol 16 no 5/6), looked at “1st reading” deals between the parliament and the Council (plus European Commission) on measures before the Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE).[1] Then all eight immigration and asylum measures had been negotiated and agreed in secret trilogue meetings.

With the end of the 2004-2009 parliamentary term it is now possible to assess what happened over the whole period and how the parliament reacted to criticisms of 1st reading “deals” reached in secret – and to see what changes are planned to open up these closed meetings.

Moreover, if the parliament gets the same co-decision powers over police and judicial measures under the Lisbon Treaty will the same process happen with decision-making removed from public scrutiny?