European Parliament Votes to Strengthen Role of National Parliaments in EU Law-Making

On November 27, 2025, the European Parliament adopted a report to reinforce the role of national parliaments and ensure respect for subsidiarity and proportionality in EU law-making. The report demands that the European Commission strictly adheres to these binding constitutional principles from the outset of the legislative process, ensuring EU action is taken only when it adds real value.

Rapporteur Marieke Ehlers stated that this approach means "decisions are made as close to citizens as possible" and called for earlier consultation, greater transparency, and more effective accountability tools for national parliaments. A key procedural change extends the 'yellow card' and 'orange card' mechanisms from eight to twelve weeks, providing national chambers a more realistic timeframe to scrutinize proposals and coordinate responses when they believe the Commission has overstepped.