n certain legislative areas, the European Parliament is requested to give its consent, as a special legislative procedure under Article 289(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The consent procedure gives Parliament the right of veto. Parliament's role is thus to approve or reject the legislative proposal without further amendments and the Council cannot overrule Parliament's opinion. Consent is also required as a non-legislative procedure when the Council is adopting certain international agreements.
Formerly know as the assent procedure, it was introduced by the 1986 Single European Act in two areas: association agreements and agreements governing accession to the European Union. The scope for the application of the procedure was extended by all subsequent modifications of the Treaties.
As a non-legislative procedure, it usually applies to the ratification of certain agreements negotiated by the European Union, or is applicable most notably in the cases of serious breach of fundamental rights under Article 7 Treaty on European Union (TEU) or for the accession of new EU members or arrangements for the withdrawal from the EU.
As a legislative procedure, it is to be used also when new legislation on combating discrimination is being adopted and it now gives the European Parliament a veto also when the subsidiary general legal basis is applied in line with Article 352 TFEU.