§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many regulations originating from the EU have been implemented by the Department over each of the last five years. [120839]
§ Caroline FlintEC Regulations are, in general, directly applicable in the member states without the need for further incorporation into national law. However, some Regulations may require UK measures to make them workable and enforceable.
Over the last five years, one Regulation has required such implementation by the Home Office: the Council Regulation concerning the establishment of 'Eurodac' for the comparison of fingerprints for the effective application of the Dublin Convention. The legislative changes required to implement the Eurodac Regulation were made in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, effective from 11 December 2000, by virtue of the Immigration and Asylum Act (Commencement No 8 and Transitional Provision) Order 2000. Implementation was completed when the centralised Eurodac fingerprint database became operational on 15 January 2003.
Two other EC Regulations for which the Home Office has responsibility have also been adopted in the last five years but have not required implementation in the UK:
Council Regulation 2220/2000/EC of 28 September 2000 amending Regulation (EEC) No 302/93 on the establishment of a European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.Council Regulation 24247/2001//EC of 6 December 2001 on the development of the Second Generation Schengen Information System (SIS II).