§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list(a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee on excise duties, (b) the number of times, and the dates, on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House. [110283]
§ John HealeyThe EU Committee on Excise Duties consists of delegates drawn from each of the 15 European member states. The UK is represented by officials from HM Customs and Excise.
The Committee has met six times since January 2002. On 16/17 May 2002, 7/8 November 2002 and 3/4 April 2003, it considered questions relating to the interpretation and application of Community provisions on excise duties and procedures. Meetings on 7 October 2002,28/29 November 2002 and 16 December 2002 dealt specifically with the development of the EU computerised system for movement and control of goods subject to excise duty (EMCS).
Under its powers in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EEC, the Committee approved a minor amendment to an existing Commission Decision on the product to be used as a fiscal marker for gas oils and kerosene, as well as the EMCS project management plan. Additionally, the Committee agreed an administrative arrangement for the operation of the electronic early warning information exchange system for intra-EU movements of excise goods.
Accountability and transparency to Parliament is ensured by the regular EU scrutiny process documents which fall within the Scrutiny Terms of Reference are 210W deposited within Parliament along with an Explanatory Memorandum for examination by the Scrutiny Committees.
Together with member states, the Commission has been conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of Comitology Committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".The Working Group on the Friends of Comitology is meeting later this month to discuss proposals for interim reform.
The Commission is obliged to publish an annual report on the working of the Committees. The latest report (Com (2002)733 final, dated 13/12/02) has been published and was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 10 January 2003.
The UK Government have also encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU Customs Code Committee on counterfeit and pirated goods, the number of times and the dates on which it has met since January 2002, the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, the decisions it has made since January 2002 and the means used to communicate these decisions to the House. [110503]
§ John HealeyThe Customs Code Committee on counterfeit and pirated goods, consists of delegates drawn from each of the 15 member states. The UK Government are represented by officials from HM Customs and Excise. Since January 2002 there have been four meetings of the Customs Code Committee (Counterfeiting)—6 March, 3 September, 4 October 2002 and 3 March 2003.
The Customs Code Committee (Counterfeiting) discusses matters relating to intellectual property rights and in particular measures concerning the entry into the community, export, re-export from the community of goods infringing certain intellectual property rights. The main item under discussion by the Committee during the period in question has been a proposal to overhaul these measures and this has now been completed.
Accountability and transparency to Parliament is ensured by the regular EU scrutiny process: documents which fall within the scrutiny terms of reference are deposited within Parliament along with an explanatory memorandum for examination by the Scrutiny Committees.
Together with member states, the Commission has been conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of Comitology Committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to
simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".The Working Group on the Friends of Comitology is meeting later this month to discuss proposals for interim reform.
211WThe Commission is obliged to publish an annual report on the working of the Committees. The latest report (Com (2002)733 final, dated 13 December 2002) has been published and deposited with both Houses.
The UK Government have also encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every Comitology Committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.