LORDS

UK’s 2014 Opt-out Decision (Protocol 36)

The EU Sub-Committee on Justice, Institutions and Consumer Protection and the EU Sub-Committee on Home Affairs, Health and Education conducted a joint inquiry into the UK’s 2014 opt-out decision. The report was published on 23 April 2013. The inquiry was re-opened on 18 July 2013 and a call for evidence was issued.

Protocol 36 of the Treaty of Lisbon allows the Government to decide, by 31 May 2014, whether the UK should continue to be bound by approximately 130 police and criminal justice (PCJ) measures, which would all become subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Commission’s enforcement powers, or if it should exercise its right to opt-out of them all. Either scenario would then take effect from 1 December 2014. The Government has undertaken to organise a debate and a vote in each House before a decision is made.


The Government’s announcement by the Home Secretary on 9 July 2013 provided a list of the 35 measures that the Government would seek to rejoin should the opt-out be exercised. The announcement and the absence of this list of measures during the Committee’s original inquiry has prompted the decision to reopen the inquiry to further scrutinise these developments.

News

Publications

Title Date published
Government response to the UK's 2014 opt-out decision report (PDF) 23 July 2013
UK's 2014 Opt-out Decision (Protocol 36) follow-up - Call for Evidence (PDF) 18 July 2013
Letter from Northern Ireland Executive regarding the opt-out report dated 9 May 2013 (PDF) 17 May 2013
Letter from Scottish Government regarding the opt-out report dated 1 May 2013 (PDF) 17 May 2013
UK's 2014 Opt-out Decision (Protocol 36) - Evidence (PDF) 25 March 2013
UK’s 2014 Opt-out decision (Protocol 36) - Call for Evidence 01 November 2012

Related links

Government Documents

Members Interests

Members' interests in relation to this inquiry

The Members of the Sub-Committees have declared the following interests in relation to this inquiry:

Members are required to register any financial and non-financial interests that a reasonable member of the public might think would influence their actions in Parliament. The full text of the Register is available online: