EU law and treaties

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on European Union law and treaties. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
15.07.2013	In brief: the 2014 bloc opt-out and selective opt-back-ins
	This note, prepared for the parliamentary debate on 15 July 2013, looks briefly at the current situation regarding the UK's 2014 decision on justice and home affairs measures and lists the 35 measures the Government would like to opt back into.
28.06.2013	EU bibliographies: Proposed reform of the Common Fisheries Policy
	This Note brings together documents relevant to the proposals to reform the Common Fisheries Policy and its scrutiny in the UK and EU. It is not an attempt to define policy in this area. For information on policy developments contact Oliver Bennett on extn 2263.
21.06.2013	The draft EU data protection framework
	The UK's data protection law is based on a 1995 European Directive. The European Commission believes that the Directive is now out of date and has therefore proposed a comprehensive reform of the 1995 rules to strengthen online privacy rights and boost Europe's digital economy. Aspects of the reform are controversial and negotiations continue at European level to find agreement.
18.06.2013	Syria: The legality of arming the rebels after the lifting of the EU arms embargo
	Would arming the Syrian rebels be illegal, notwithstanding the lifting of the EU arms embargo?
12.06.2013	EU bibliographies: Food safety legislation: review package
	This Note brings together documents relevant to the proposals to strengthen and simplify health and safety standards for the whole agri-food chain and their scrutiny in the UK and EU, published on 6 May 2013. It is not an attempt to define policy in this area. For information on policy developments contact Emma Downing on extn 6787.

Research Papers

Date	Description
01.07.2013	Leaving the EU
	The Treaty on European Union provides for a Member State to leave the EU, either on the basis of a negotiated withdrawal agreement or without one. If the UK were to leave the EU following a referendum, it is likely that the Government would negotiate an agreement with the EU, which would probably contain transitional arrangements as well as provide for the UK's long-term future relations with the EU. There is no precedent for such an agreement, but it would in all likelihood come at the end of complex and lengthy negotiations.
31.01.2013	European Union (Approvals) Bill
	The European Union (Approvals) Bill (HC Bill 121) aims to approve two draft EU Council decisions and one draft decision of the European Council (the EU Heads of State and Government).
01.11.2012	European Union (Croatian Accession and Irish Protocol) Bill [Bill 76 of 2012-13]
	Croatia is expected to join the EU in July 2013. This Bill would allow the UK to ratify Croatia's accession treaty and would also cover the Protocol to the Lisbon Treaty put forward by the Irish Government.
30.08.2012	European Union (Approval of Treaty Amendment Decision) Bill
	This Bill enables the UK to ratify an amendment to Article 136 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
27.03.2012	The Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: political issues
	This paper looks at the background to the TSCG, the reasons for the UK's non-participation and some of the issues it raises, such as its effectiveness, its relationship with the EU Treaties and EU law, the use of the EU institutions in a non-EU treaty, and whether it could give rise to a 'two-speed' Europe and further UK isolation in the EU.

Select Committee Reports

Date	Description
13.07.2011	Reasoned opinions on subsidiarity under the Lisbon Treaty.
	Procedure Select Committee report [Commons]
08.03.2011	Amending Article 136 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
	European Union Select Committee (HL) report [Lords]
01.02.2011	Implementing the Stockholm Programme: home affairs.
	European Union Select Committee (HL) report [Lords]
11.01.2011	EU Strategy for economic growth and the UK National Reform Programme.
	European Union Select Committee (HL) report [Lords]
10.01.2011	The EU Bill and Parliamentary sovereignty.
	Government response. European Scrutiny Committee; Foreign and Commonwealth Office report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
02.03.2011	REFERENDUM ON EU MEMBERSHIP
	That this House calls on the Government to give the British people a referendum on UK membership of the EU.
25.10.2010	CHANGES TO THE LISBON TREATY
	That this House notes the proposals floated by Germany and France to re-open the Lisbon Treaty in order to force Member States that find themselves in a severe financial crisis, as ...
24.06.2010	NUTRITION AND THE HEALTH CLAIMS REGULATION
	That this House notes that the UK natural health products industry currently faces a grave threat both to its businesses and consumer choices from the unforeseen impact of implementation ...
23.03.2010	DEPOSITING OF PAPERS WITH THE EUROPEAN SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
	That this House is concerned at the delay by the Government in depositing relevant papers with the European Scrutiny Committee; believes that following the entry into force of the Lisbon ...
18.01.2010	EUROPEAN PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
	That this House notes with concern that Article 69E, Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters, of the Treaty of Lisbon provides for the creation of a European Public Prosecutor's Office ...

Lords Library Notes

Date	Description
25.01.2013	Debate on 31 January: Prime Minister's Speech on Europe
	This Library Note provides a short history of Prime Ministerial speeches on Europe since 1970; outlines Government policy towards Europe since 2010; summarises David Cameron's speech and selected reaction to it; and considers some aspects of the proposed renegotiation and referendum. It concludes with information about trends in public opinion towards Britain's membership of the EU.
12.12.2012	Debate on 17 December: European Union (Croatian Accession and Irish Protocol) Bill (HL Bill 59) and European Union (Approvals) Bill [HL] (HL Bill 57)
	This Library Note provides background information in advance of the second readings in the House of Lords of the European Union (Croatian Accession and Irish Protocol) Bill and the European Union (Approvals) Bill.
16.05.2012	European Union (Approval of Treaty Amendment Decision) Bill (HL Bill 3 of 2012-13)
	This Library Note provides background reading in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the European Union (Approval of Treaty Amendment Decision) Bill [HL] on 23 May 2012.
10.02.2012	Debate on 16 February: Recent Developments in the European Union
	This Library Note considers reaction to recent developments in the EU, ahead of the debate in the House of Lords on 16 February 2012.
09.02.2012	The European Union Today
	This Library Note provides a broad outline of the history and development of the European Union; and presents statistics comparing the EU to the US, Japan, China and Russia.

POST Papers

Date	Description
15.05.2012	Bioenergy
	Bioenergy is the use of renewable natural material for power, heat and liquid fuels. Currently, the UK sources approximately 3% of its primary energy from bioenergy feedstocks. This POSTnote considers the opportunities and challenges of producing bioenergy sustainably to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets.
01.07.2009	Environmental noise, July 2009
	This POSTnote examines the effects of noise, the EU Environmental Noise Directive (END) and practical measures for noise management.
01.06.2009	Crop protection, June 2009
	The pesticide approvals process in Europe is changing. This POSTnote explores the potential implications for UK agriculture and horticulture and examines other crop protection strategies available that complement or compensate for pesticides.