ALL ABOUT EUROPEAN UNION COMMITTEE EU SELECT COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP OF EU SCRUTINY WORK OF EU AFFAIRS OF EU SUB-COMMITTEES OF EU

1. ACM -903
SEMINAR
PRESENTATION
ON
“EUROPEAN UNION
COMMITTEE”

2. CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION OF EU
EUROPEAN UNION COMMITTEE
SELECT COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
SCRUTINY WORK
SUB-COMMITTEES

3. Introduction of European Union
(EU)
The European Union (EU) is an economic and political
union of 27 member states which are located primarily in
Europe. Its capital is de facto Brussels. The EU operates
through a systemof supranational independent institutions
and intergovernmental negotiated decisions by the
member states.
The EU has developed a single market through a
standardised system of laws which apply in all member
states. Within the Schengen Area (which includes 22 EU
and 4 non-EU states) passport controls have been
abolished. EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of
people, goods, services, and capital, enact legislation in
justice and home affairs, and maintain common policies on
trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development.

4. Cont…
Through the Common Foreign and Security Policy the
EU has developed a role in external relations and
defence. Permanent diplomatic missionshave been
established around the world. The EU is represented at
the United Nations, the WTO, the G8and the G-20.
With a combined population of over 500 million
inhabitants, or 7.3% of the world population, the EU, in
2011, generated the largest nominal world gross
domestic product (GDP) of 17.6 trillion US dollars,
representing approximately 20% of the global GDP
when measured in terms of purchasing power parity.
The EU was the recipient of the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize.

5. European Union Committee
The European Union Committee is a select committee of the
House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its
terms of reference are "To consider European Union
documents and other matters relating to the European
Union", as well as "to represent the House as appropriate in
interparliamentary co-operation within the European Union.
Much of the detailed scrutiny work on EU documents is
conducted by the sub-committees, each dealing with a
separate policy area. The main committee oversees the
work of the sub-committees and approves their reports
and scrutinises proposals that cross subject areas, such
as the Treaty of Lisbon and the multiannual financial
framework. In addition, the main committee takes evidence
on the EU presidency from each incoming Presidency
country, and on meetings of the Council of the European
Union from the Minister for Europe.

6. Cont…
Committee members represent the
House of Lords at a number of different
interparliamentary meetings, such as
COSAC and joint committee meetings
at the European Parliament. As part of
their work representing the House in
interparliamentary co-operation within
the EU, the committees contribute to
the IPEX database, which brings
together information about national
parliamentary scrutiny from all EU
Member States.

7. Select Committee membership
The Select Committee has
nineteen members: the
chairman, the chairmen of
the sub-committees, and
other members, all of
whom also sit on sub-
committees.
As of 8 June 2015, the
members of the main
select committee are as
follows:
Lord Boswell of
Aynho
(Chairman),
Non-affiliated
Baroness
Armstrong of Hill
Top, Labour
Lord Blair of
Boughton,
Crossbench
Lord Borwick,
Conservative
Earl of
Caithness,
Conservative
Lord Davies of
Stamford,
Labour

8. Scrutiny work
The UK Government deposits European
documents, such as draft Directives and
Communications from the European Commission, in
Parliament. These are then subjected to scrutiny by
the EU Select Committee and its counterpart in the
House of Commons, the European Scrutiny
Committee. In the House of Lords system, each
deposited document is sifted by subject area and
importance for the Select Committee or one of the
sub-committees to scrutinise carefully on an
ongoing basis. The Chairman of the Select
Committee pursues any issues arising in
correspondence with the responsible minister, and
from time to time directly with the Commission. This
correspondence is publicly available.

9. Sub-committees
Prior to the start of the 2012–13
Session, the Select Committee
had seven sub-committees. In
May 2012, at the start of the new
parliamentary session, the Select
Committee restructured its sub-
committees, eliminating the
previous Sub-committee G (Social
Policies and Consumer Protection)
and revising the remits of the
remaining six.

10. The new sub-committees are as
follows:
Sub-committee A:
Economic and
Financial Affairs
Sub-committee B:
Internal Market,
Infrastructure,
and Employment
Sub-committee C:
External Affairs
Sub-committee
D: Justice,
Institutions and
Consumer
Protection
Sub-committee E:
Home Affairs, Health
and Education

11. Sub-committee A: Economic & Financial
Affairs
Sub-committee A considers issues
relating to economic and financial
affairs within the European Union as
well as tax issues. The Sub-
committee has recently considered
Carousel Fraud, the proposals for a
Financial transaction tax, Solvency
II and European Trade Policy. In
addition it reviews the EU
Preliminary Draft Budget each year.

12. Sub-committee B: Internal Market, Infrastructure, and
Employment
Sub-committee B considers all issues arising from the
internal market; employment policy; and transport issues,
such as measures to liberalise the transport market in the EU
and harmonising safety standards for road, rail, air and
maritime transport. Prior to the start of the 2012–13 Session,
the Sub-committee considered matters relating to energy,
including coal, oil, gas, nuclear, and renewables. However,
this area now falls within Sub-committee D's remit.
The Sub-committee is also responsible for scrutinising
research and technological development across the EU with
a view to boosting the international competitiveness of the
European economy is also covered. It also provides oversight
in the House of Lords for the European Space Policy.

13. Sub-committee C: External Affairs
EU foreign affairs, defence, and
development policy are within the remit of
Sub-committee C. Included within this
remit are relations between the EU and
non-EU nations and with non-
governmental organisations. The Sub-
committee also considers issues relating to
the common foreign and security policy
(CFSP) and to international trade. Prior to
the start of the 2012–13 Session, the Sub-
committee considered matters of EU
Enlargement. However, this now falls
within the main Select Committee's remit.

14. Sub-committee D: Justice, Institutions and
Consumer Protection
The Sub-committee's remit includes civil
and criminal law and the EU's institutions,
agencies, and other bodies. It also
includes matters of EU citizenship,
consumer policy, and non-discrimination.
Lord Boyd of Duncansby's appointment
as a Judge of the Supreme Courts of
Scotland in June 2012, his seat on the
Committee was taken up by Baroness
Corston.

15. Sub-committee E: Home Affairs,
Health and Education
Sub-committee E
considers documents
and issues related to
immigration and asylum,
security policy, health
and education policy.

16. As at the beginning of the 2012–13 Session,
the Sub-committee's membership was.
Lord Hannay of
Chiswick
(Chairman),
Crossbench
Lord Avebury,
Liberal
Democrat
Lord Blencathra,
Conservative
Viscount
Bridgeman,
Conservative
Lord Judd,
Labour
Lord Lingfield,
Conservative
Lord Mackenzie
of
Framwellgate,
Labour
Baroness
Prashar,
Crossbench
Lord Richard,
Labour