The European Parliament adopted by 462 votes to 48, with 40 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 1093/2010 as regards the location of the seat of the European Banking Authority (EBA).
The European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure amended the Commission proposal as follows:
Following the notification by the United Kingdom on 29 March 2017 of its intention to withdraw from the Union, the Commission proposed to amend Regulation (EC) No 1093/2010 in order to relocate the EBA's headquarters to Paris, France.
The amended text specifies that the location of the seat of the Authority shall not affect the Authority’s execution of its tasks and powers, the organisation of its governance structure, the operation of its main organisation, or the main financing of its activities.
The transfer of the seat of the Authority does not call into question the establishment plan as adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, nor the application of the Staff Regulations to officials or other agents who work at the Authority.
The relocation of the Authority should not have any consequences with regard to the execution of the distinct mandates of the European Supervisory Authorities or the maintenance of their separate legal status. The relocation might allow, where applicable, for the sharing among Union agencies of administrative support services and facility management services which are not related to core activities.
In its legislative resolution, Parliament stressed that the new premises should be ready and fit for the purpose of permanent relocation by 30 March 2019.
In addition, Members deplored that Parliament was not involved in the definition and the weighting of the criteria to select the location of the seat of the EBA despite Parliament's prerogatives.
They also deplored the lack of transparency and accountability, in the voting procedure the Council has undertaken on the 20 November 2017, leaving final decisions to the drawing of lots.
Members considered that Parliament should be systematically and on equal terms with the Commission and Council involved in defining and weighting the criteria for the location of all Union bodies and agencies. They requested the Commission and Council to launch a revision of the Joint Statement of 19 July 2012 on decentralised agencies with the aim of ensuring a strong involvement of Parliament whilst respecting in particular its co-decision powers.
In a statement to the legislative resolution, Parliament recognised the commitment of sincere and transparent cooperation, and in the light of the process followed for the relocation of the EMA and EBA, which was specific to the situation and did not constitute a precedent for location of agencies in the future.
The Council took note of the request by Parliament to revise, as soon as possible, the 2012 Joint Statement and Common Approach on decentralised Agencies. As a first step, it invited the Commission to provide, by April 2019, an in-depth analysis of the implementation of the Joint Statement and Common Approach as regards the location of decentralised Agencies.