HL Deb 12 February 2004 vol 656 cc177-8WA
Lord Stoddart of Swindon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Council of Ministers of the European Community and the Council of the European Union (Heads of Government) have published any standing orders for the conduct of their business; if so, when they were published; and whether they were subject to parliamentary scrutiny or approval. [HL1064]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)

Articles 202–210 TEC set out general guidelines for the workings of the Council and that the Council shall adopt its rules of procedure. The rules of procedure, as an internal institutional set of rules, are not regarded as an EU document to be submitted for formal scrutiny, as defined by the orders of reference of the European Union Committee. There are no rules of procedure for the European Council.

Lord Stoddart of Swindon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether standing orders, or rules of procedure, for the intergovernmental conference of member governments of the European Union and applicant states have been agreed and published; where they can be obtained; and by what procedure they were agreed. [HL1065]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

There are no rules of procedure for intergovernmental conferences (IGCs). However, Article 48 TEU, as agreed by heads of state and government, sets out the process to convene an IGC.