HC Deb 16 June 1997 vol 296 cc15-6W
Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those areas where legislative proposals of the Council of the European Community can be halted by a resolution of the European parliament(a) currently and (b) as proposed by the Presidency to the IGC. [3909]

Mr. Doug Henderson

Measures under the following Treaty Articles are subject to the assent of, or codecision with the European Parliament:

  • assent: 8a(2); 105(6); 106(5); 130d; 138(3); 228(3); 0;
  • codecision: 49; 54(2); 56(2); 57(1); 57(2); 100a; 100b; 126(4); 128(5); 129(4); 129a(2); 129(d); 130i(1); 130s(3).

So far as further areas are concerned, below is the relevant section from the latest Presidency proposal.

  • Assent procedure
  • The assent procedure would apply to the following provisions:
  • New Treaty provisions
  • Article Fa: Sanctions in the event of a serious and persistent breach of fundamental rights by a Member State.
  • Existing Treaty provisions
  • Article O: Accession procedure.
  • Article 138(3): Proposals by the European Parliament for a uniform electoral procedure.
  • Article 228(3), second subpara: Conclusion of certain international agreements.
  • New Treaty provisions
  • Article (5): Employment—Incentive measures.
  • Article 119: Social policy—Equal opportunities and treatment.
  • Article 129: Public health (former basis Article 43—consultation):
  • minimum requirements regarding quality and safety of organs;
  • veterinary and phytosanitary measures with the direct objective the protection of public health.
  • Article 191a: General principles for transparency.
  • Article 209a: Countering fraud affecting the financial interests of the Community.
  • New Article: Customs cooperation.
  • Article 213a: Statistics.
  • Article 213b: Establishment of independent advisory authority on data protection.
  • Existing Treaty provisions1
  • Article 6: Rules to prohibit discrimination on grounds of nationality (co-operation)
    • 16
  • Article 8a(2): Provisions for facilitating the exercise of citizens' right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States (assent).
  • Article 51: Internal market (consultation):
  • rules on social security for Community immigrant workers.
  • Article 56(2)2: Coordination of provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action for special treatment for foreign nationals (right of establishment).
  • Article 57: Coordination of the provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the taking up and pursuit of activities as self-employed persons (consultation).
  • Amendment of existing principles laid down by law governing the professions with respect to training and conditions of access for natural persons (consultation).
  • Article 75(1): Transport policy (co-operation):
  • Common rules applicable to international transport to or from the territory of a Member State or passing across the territory of one or more Member States;
  • the conditions under which non-resident carriers may operate transport services within a Member State;
  • measures to improve transport safety.
  • Article 84: Transport policy (co-operation):
  • sea and air transport.
  • Social policy: Articles resulting from the transposition into the Treaty of the agreement on social policy (Article 2(2)), except for aspects of that Agreement which are currently subject to unanimity (Article 2(3)) (see Chapter 4—Social provisions)(co-operation).
  • Article 125: Implementing decisions relating to the European Social Fund (co-operation).
  • Article 127(4): Vocational training (co-operation):
  • Measures to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of Article 127
  • Article 129d 3rd subpara: Other measures (TENs) (co-operation).
  • Article 130d: Structural and cohesion funds.
  • Article 130e: ERDF implementing decisions (co-operation).
  • Article 130o 2nd subpara: Adoption of measures referred in Articles 130k and —research (co-operation).
  • Article 130s(1): Environment (co-operation):
  • Action by the Community in order to achieve the objectives of Article 130r.
  • Article 130w: Development cooperation (co-operation).
  • 1. The procedure currently applicable is indicated between brackets after the content of each Article.
  • 2 As simplified (see CONF/4152/97).