To the future and back again:
RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE DISCUSSION PHASE
YOUR TASKS
As a chairperson, you will lead the debate and ensure that all Ministers or Deputies have a chance to speak. You will also represent your committee to the outside world and summarize the results of the discussion phase during the closing plenary.
DEBATE PROCEDURE
1. Introduction of the Ministers or Members of the European Parliament
Welcome the Ministers or MEPs to the debate on the European Union’s climate and environment policy. Call each country and parliamentarian in turn and ask them to introduce themselves briefly. In the introduction, no substantive points should be discussed yet, but the general political orientation should be shared with everyone. The content for the introduction can be found on the role card of the ministers and delegates under the item “Who am I?”
You can read out loud the following example to your committee in order to clarify how the introduction round should look like:
“I am a member of the parliamentary group XY / a Minister of the country XY. Me and my colleagues support a XY policy. This, for example, also means that I support example XY.”
Countries:
- Germany
- Poland
- Estonia
- Spain
- Hungary
- Sweden
- Denmark
- Finland
Political Groups:
- European People’s Party (EPP)
- Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)
- European Conservatives and Reformers (ECR)
- Renew Europe (renew europe.)
- United European Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)
- The Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA)
- Identity and Democracy (ID)
- Cross-benched Members
2. Presentation and discussion of the thematic blocks I-IV
The procedure of the discussion phase remains the same during the debate: Each thematic block is first briefly presented by the Commission, then the Ministers or MEPs enter the discussion.
The representatives of the Commission should also actively participate during the discussion.
2.1 Presentation of the thematic blocks
Ask the EU Commission to introduce one of the thematic blocks (you can start with block I, but you can also start with another topic or ask in the plenary what the Ministers or MEPs would like to discuss first).
Topics:
I Energy production
II Mobility
III Circular economy
IV Agriculture
Afterwards, your Ministers or MEPs have the chance to ask comprehension questions if necessary.
2.2 Discussion of the thematic blocks
After the EU Commission has presented a block and all questions have been answered, the Ministers or MEPs start the discussion. Ask directly for their opinions and make sure that the discussion does not circle away from the topic.
Please note that the EU Commission has to communicate intensively with the representatives of the EU Parliament and the Council of Ministers even after its legislative proposal. Therefore, make sure to integrate the representatives of the Commission in the discussions.
End each discussion with a short summary.
Then move on to the second block of topics, again asking the Commission to present it first.
SUMMARY OF THE DEBATE IN PLENARY
In the concluding plenary, summarize the most important discussion results and address your opinion about the debate in your panel.
TIPS!
Ministers or MEPs want to take votes?
At the end of each round of discussion, you can ask for a vote from your panel. This is not about voting on a binding law. You just want to get an overview of how the committee positions itself on the individual points.
Take notes!
Since you will have to summarize the debate in plenary afterwards, it is helpful if you take some notes!