HC Deb 22 June 1982 vol 26 c81W
Sir Anthony Meyer

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report the occasions, under the Treaty of Rome, when decisions have to be taken by unanimous vote; and if he will also list the occasions since January 1979 when the Luxembourg compromise has been officially invoked, by whom and over which issue.

Mr. Hurd

The following articles of the European Economic Community Treaty provide for decisions to be taken unanimouslyArticle

  1. 28 — alteration of suspension exceeding 20 per cent. of CCT duties.
  2. 51—social security of migrant workers.
  3. 59—extension of free movement of services to nationals of a third country.
  4. 70(1)—coordination of exchange policies of member states re movement of capital.
  5. 75(3)—common transport policy provisions liable to have a serious effect on the standard of living etc.
  6. 76—derogations from the rule that no new discrimination should be introduced between carriers.
  7. 84(2)—Community rules for sea and air transport.
  8. 93(2)—derogations from the rules concerning state aids
  9. 99—harmonisation of national legislation on taxation.
  10. 100—general harmonisation of legislation.
  11. 103(2)—measures concerning conjunctural policy.
  12. 121 — assign to the Commission of tasks concerning free movement of workers.
  13. 126(b)—in trusting new tasks to the European Social Fund.
  14. 138(3) — provisions concerning direct elections to the European Parliament.
  15. 149—Amendments to Commission proposals.
  16. 165 — increasing the number of judges on the Court of Justice.
  17. 166 — increasing the number of Advocates-General in the Court of Justice.
  18. 196—approval of Rules of Procedure of the Economic and Social Committee.
  19. 200(3)—modification of scales of financial contributions.
  20. 201—adoption of provisions of Own Resources.
  21. 206—determining the number of members of the Audit Board.
  22. 206—appointing the members of the Audit Board.
  23. 209—financial regulations.
  24. 217—rules governing the languages of the Community.
  25. 223(3)—modification to list of war materials etc.
  26. 235 — measures where Treaty has not provided the necessary powers.
  27. 237—admission of new member states.
  28. 238—conclusion of Association Agreements.

There have been many occasions since June 1979 when decisions which could have been taken by majority vote have been deferred because one or more member State was opposed to them. It is not, however, possible to make a clear distinction between those occasions when the Luxembourg compromise was formally invoked and those where it was tacitly applied.