Relevant Senate Rules

1. For the purpose of producing a resolution under paragraph 6 below expressing their opinions on possible consequent initiatives to be taken by Parliament or the Government, Committees shall examine - each for the subject matter over which it has jurisdiction - the measures under Rule 29(2-bis) above, Government's information reports on the approval of draft community measures, and the Government's reports on the compliance of existing national measures with provisions contained in community regulations. The Standing Committees on Foreign Affairs and on EU Policies shall be requested to express their opinions, which shall be attached to the document of the appropriate Committee.

2. The President of the Senate shall announce such document to the Senate, transmit it to the President of the Council of Ministers, and inform the Chamber of Deputies thereof.

3. The Government's draft measures to implement EU treaties and their amendments, or relating to the implementation of community rules, which the government has to transmit to Parliament, shall be transmitted to the committees having jurisdiction over the subject matter, to which the 14th Standing Committee (EU Policies) may provide opinions and proposals. Such opinions and proposals shall be attached to the opinions of such committees.

4. The 14th Standing Committee (EU Policies) shall examine the measures mentioned in the paragraphs above when these relate to EU institutions or general policies; in such cases, the 1st (Constitutional Affairs) and the 3rd (Foreign Affairs) Standing Committees may provide the 14th Committee with opinions and proposals, which shall be attached to the latter's opinion.

5. In the cases under paragraphs 1 and 3 above, the 14th Standing Committee may request that opinions, comments and proposals be transmitted by the President of the Senate to the Government, if after fifteen days of their reception by the Committee having jurisdiction over the subject matter, this has failed to issue any comment. The same authority shall be vested into the 1st Standing Committee for the cases under paragraph 4 above and into the 3rd Standing Committee for cases under paragraphs 1 and 4 above.

6.After examining matters under the paragraphs above, Committees may pass resolutions to guide Italian policy in the preparation of community measures, thereby assessing also broader Government action on each EU policy, on the sets of draft regulatory measures on that subject matter, or on individual regulatory measures of broader political significance.

1. The Community Bill and the Yearly Report on Italy's Membership of the European Union shall be referred to the 14th Committee, which shall then report to the House, and to the appropriate committees having jurisdiction over the subject matter.

2. Within fifteen days of the referral, each Committee shall examine those parts of the Bill over which it has jurisdiction, pass a resolution and appoint a rapporteur, usually from amongst those senators who are also members of the 14th Committee. Before the same deadline, minority reports tabled in the Committee shall be transmitted. For the purpose of illustrating such reports, a sponsor for each minority report may take part in sittings of the 14th Committee. Before the same deadline, each Committee shall examine those parts of the Yearly Report which deal with the subject matters over which such Committee has jurisdiction and eventually pass an opinion. The 14th Committee may in any case scrutinise the Bill and the Report after the deadline has elapsed.

3.After the deadline under paragraph 2 above has elapsed, the 14th Committee shall conclude the scrutiny of the Bill within thirty days and prepare a general report for the House, to which the reports under paragraph 2 above shall be attached. Within the same deadline, the Committee shall conclude the examination of the Yearly Report on Italy's Membership of the European Union and draft a general report for the House, to which the reports of Committees under paragraph 2 above shall be attached.

4. Notwithstanding the provisions of Rule 97 above, amendments concerning subjects not relating to matters which are not the object of the Community Bill - as defined by law - shall be declared inadmissible. In such cases, the President of the Senate may declare inadmissible portions of the draft report tabled by the Committee.

5. Any amendment rejected by the 14th Committee may be re-introduced in the House, even by just one senator, save for the President's authority to receive new amendments relating to amendments proposed by the Committee or already passed by the House.

6.The general debate on the Community Bill is held in conjunction with the debate on the Yearly Report on Italy's Membership in the European Union. During such debate, resolutions on the Yearly Report may be tabled under Rule 105. The debates on the Community Bill and the Yearly Report on Italy's Membership in the European Union are organised by the Conference of Parliamentary Group Leaders, under Rule 55(5).

7. After a final vote on the Community Bill is taken, the Senate shall vote any resolutions introduced under paragraph 6 above. If more drafts have been tabled, the draft accepted by the Government shall be put to the vote first, to which any senator may introduce amendments.