The assent procedure, which was introduced by the Single European Act, gives Parliament the possibility of expressing its approval or disapproval of certain Council instruments. There are certain matters on which the Council cannot legislate unless Parliament gives its consent by an absolute majority.

The assent procedure, which constitutes a right of veto for Parliament, as it were, applies at present in the following areas:

• enhanced cooperation (Article 11(2))
• specific tasks of the ECB (Article 105(6))
• amending the Statute of the European System of Central Banks (Article 107(5))
• Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund (Article 161)
• uniform procedures for elections (Article 190(4))
• certain international agreements (Article 300(3))
• violations of human rights (Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union)
• accession of new Member States (Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union)