EU voting procedure

Date: 10 April 2020

The Commission can implement EU legislation with the assistance of committees composed of representatives from EU countries. The committee members are national experts who represent EU member states and public authorities. By this so called Comitology, EU member states can influence how the European Commission implements EU laws.

In Comitology, two procedures are used for the adoption of implementing measures by the Commission: the examination procedure (used especially for (i) measures with general scope and (ii) measures with a potentially important impact (e.g. in taxation or EU agricultural policy)) and the advisory procedure (generally used for all other implementing measures). Based on the procedure, the impact of the committee's opinion on the Commission varies:

• Examination procedure

• • Qualified majority in favour of the Commission's proposed measure (positive opinion): The Commission is bound to go through with this measure.
  • Qualified majority against the Commission's proposed measure (negative opinion): The Commission cannot carry out the measure it proposed.
  • No qualified majority for or against the Commission's proposed measure (absence of opinion): The Commission can choose either to carry out the proposed implementing measure or submit a new version of it to the committee, taking into account the views expressed in the committee.
• Advisory procedure – the Commission is free to decide whether or not to carry out the proposed measure, but must "take the utmost account" of the committee's opinion before deciding.

Particularly relevant for plant protection is the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (called ‘SCoPAFF’ or ‘PAFF Committee’). This committee provides for example opinions on adoption of new guidelines, but also the approval or non-approval of active substances is voted by the SCoPAFF via examination procedure.

Further information on Comitology can be found here.

Carla Lorenz