Rule 201a : Questions of competence

1.   If a standing committee declares itself not to be competent to consider an item, or if a conflict arises over the competence of two or more standing committees, the question of competence shall be submitted to the Conference of Committee Chairs within four weeks of the announcement in Parliament of the referral to committee.

2.   The Conference of Presidents shall take a decision within six weeks after the submission of the question on the basis of a recommendation from the Conference of Committee Chairs, or, if no such recommendation is forthcoming, from the latter's Chair. If the Conference of Presidents fails to take a decision within that period, the recommendation shall be deemed to have been approved.

3.   The committee Chairs may enter into agreements with other committee Chairs concerning the allocation of an item to a particular committee, subject, where necessary, to the authorisation of an associated committee procedure under Rule 54.