Working documents that are used as a basis for discussion during informal trialogues between the Council, European Commission and European Parliament (EP) on files under the ordinary legislative procedure (OLP). Often called four-column documents.

Multi-column documents set out the positions of the three EU institutions depending on the stage of the OLP procedure (most often during first reading negotiations). The order and the number of columns may vary according to the political and negotiating circumstances relating to the file.

Four-column documents, from left to right, show the text of the Commission proposal, the EP and the Council positions on the text of the Commission proposal and finally, the compromise agreement on the text of the proposal resulting from these informal trialogue meetings.

In five-column documents, the fourth column will reflect the Presidency observations, while the fifth column will present the compromise agreement on the text of the proposal resulting from these informal trialogue meetings.

For more information, see Practice note, Ordinary legislative procedure.