About: Trilogues

Publish secret law files, demands EU Court in transparency ruling

The most famous four-column documents in Brussels could remain secret no more. The European Court of Justice has ruled that the infamous ‘trilogue’ meetings that decide EU laws should be made public on demand.

EU’s trying trilogues

MEPs want to tell the world what happens in their negotiations with member states over proposed legislation, but the EU’s national capitals are resisting. Why do governments have an impulse to hide what they do in Brussels?

Emissions trading and the sound of silence

MEP Ian Duncan was looking forward to a well-earned rest after earning the European Parliament's endorsement of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme reform. The European Council looked like it would take its time to agree with it but just two weeks after, as if by magic, it was game on!

Commission fluffs lines on decision-making reform

The European Commission has revealed its long-awaited reform of the so-called comitology decision-making process. But it has already been criticised for not being ambitious enough and concerns have been raised about whether the proposal stands any chance of being approved.

EU bank bailout regulation plan hits snag

The single regulation mechanism for bank failures is the subject of continuing talks between the European Parliament, the Commission and Member States. If no agreement is found this week, the plan could be postponed to 2015.

UK regulator wants 10-year tenders for audit firms

The UK’s Competition Commission yesterday (15 October) published a report on the competitiveness of the audit market broadly chiming with changes currently under debate at European level.

EU trilogues undermine parliamentary committees

Despite speeding up the legislative process, trilogues allow the Council to negotiate directly with majority party leaders in the European Parliament at the expense of committees and minority parties, writes Raya Kardasheva.