Part of the first stage in the ordinary legislative procedure during which both the Council of the EU and the European Parliament (EP) examine a legislative proposal submitted to them by the European Commission.

In the EP, this means the proposal is allocated to a European Parliament Committee for examination of its substance, and in most cases, also to other EP Committees who may issue an Opinion. The lead Committee designates one of its members to be the Rapporteur on the proposal. The Rapporteur prepares the EP’s opinion, which is discussed and usually amended in the Committee, and then debated in plenary, where it is adopted by a simple majority.

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