Roberta Metsola opened the session by reminding MEPs that, as agreed by the Conference of Presidents on 21 May, certain innovative measures would be put to the test during this session to improve plenary proceedings. The objective was to bring greater flexibility, enhanced accessibility to debates and better organisation of MEPs’ work.

President Metsola mentioned the following key measures to be tested during the June part-session:

• a clear start and end time for each debate to ensure predictability for both Members and citizens;
• sittings to end on Monday at 20.30, and on Tuesday and Wednesday at 19.00, and on Thursday at 16.00, to allow Members to attend other parliamentary meetings;
•opportunities for the Commission to intervene during debates to reply to Members’ interventions;
• more “blue-card” opportunities (to spontaneously question or react to statements during debates);
• the possibility for MEPs to make short personal statements immediately to rebut…