WRITTEN QUESTION E-1327/00

by Daniel Hannan (PPE-DE) to the Council

(3 May 2000)

Subject: Working groups

There are hundreds of working groups assigned to harmonisation of legislation, formulation of common policy and the advancement of European ideals.

These working groups are listed in the annual budget and the Annual Budget 2000 lists them on pages 480 and 504 of OJ L 40, 14.2.2000.

However, little is known of the activities or exact purpose of these bodies.

In the spirit of greater openness, and for the record, will the Council supply not piecemeal, but as a single compiled block of data details on each committee, namely:

1. nature of national and Commission representation;

2. the number of times it met over the last year;

3. what was on the agenda for each meeting;

4. what is presently on the agenda;

5. occasions on which ministers have been present at a meeting, if ever?

Will it also consider providing a mechanism, such as the internet, so that those who wish to discover what is in the legislative pipeline can do so at an earlier moment in time?

Further, will it supply as a matter of course material covered under 4. of the above to the European Select Committees of the House of Common and House of Lords, and to the relevant committees of the European Parliament?

Reply

(20 November 2000)

The Honourable Member refers in his question to the committees set up in accordance with Article 202 of the EC Treaty, which are responsible for assisting the Commission in exercising its powers for the implementation of certain rules.

The Council recalls the Council Decision of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission. That decision lays down that the European Parliament shall be informed by the Commission of committee proceedings on a regular basis. To that end, it shall receive agendas for committee meetings, draft measures submitted to the committees for the implementation of instruments adopted by the procedure provided for by Article 251 of the Treaty, and the results of voting and summary records of the meetings and lists of the authorities and organisations to which the persons designated by the Member States to represent them belong. The European Parliament shall also be kept informed whenever the Commission transmits to the Council measures of proposals for measures to be taken.

In addition, the Council suggests that the Honourable Member address himself directly to the Commission regarding its position on communication of documents. The Council must point out that the statements made at the time of the Council Decision of 28 June 1999 were made available to the public in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 7(1) of the Council's Rules of Procedure, and appear on the Council's internet home page.

However, in the case of committees set up by the Treaties themselves or committees and working parties set up pursuant to the Council's Rules of Procedure to prepare the work of the Council or submit opinions to it, the provisions concerning transparency of Council acts apply.

Pursuant to the Council Decision of 6 December 1999(1), the Council General Secretariat therefore makes available to the public on the Internet (http://ue.eu.int) a list of the items on provisional agendas for meetings of the Council and its preparatory bodies which concern cases where the Council acts in its legislative capacity within the meaning of Article 6 of its Rules of Procedure.

(1) OJ L 9, 13.1.2000.