Confessional procedure
Confessional procedure is the name for a special form of negotiation, known to a broader public, especially from the European Union , which is used there in difficult negotiations in the European Council .
If negotiations in the big round get stuck, the President of the European Council (before the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon the President of the European Council ) goes over to one-on-one talks with the (ministerial) presidents of the individual countries. In these confidential talks (hence the confessional ), in which only one advisor and one interpreter take part, the Council Chairman explores the willingness to compromise and the scope for negotiation of the individual countries. If there is a common intersection of the wishes of all countries, a compromise can still be reached, otherwise the negotiations will end.
The confessional procedure is also used elsewhere, e.g. B. in other political bodies or in coalition negotiations. It is always a good idea if an overall political concept, e.g. B. a coalition agreement , should or must be developed.
It can serve to save face of individual participants; “Confessors” can express motives or conditions that they cannot or do not want to name in a larger circle (e.g. because their public disclosure would harm them). "Horse trading" ( exchange agreements characterized by subsidiary and additional agreements ) are easier to do.