HL Deb 12 June 2000 vol 613 cc181-2WA
Lord Pearson of Rannoch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Whitty on 17 May (WA 26) about the European Union Waste Incineration Directive, whether they will give details of:

  1. (a) the Council of Ministers' rules of procedure;
  2. (b) their legal basis;
  3. (c) when they were established; and
  4. (d) any measures proposed, and by whom, to improve the transparency of Council proceedings, and with what effect. [HL2599]

Lord Whitty

Rules of Procedure for the Council were first laid down in 1970s. They are regularly updated, with revisions published in the Official Journal. The latest version can be found in OJ L147 from 12 June 1999. The legal basis for all revisions of the Rules of Procedure is Article 207.3 TEC.

In addition to the Rules of Procedure, access to Council documents is governed by a separate Council decision (93/731/EC). This is currently being revised as part of a Commission proposal aimed at establishing rules on access to documents across all the Community's Institutions. The Government attach a high priority to increasing transparency and openness in EU decision making. They therefore welcome this proposal.