Letter from the Chairman of the Committee
to Mr Jim Murphy MP, Minister for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth
Office, 19 July 2007
Commission opinion, pursuant to Article 48 EU
Treaty on the convening of an IGC (COM(2007) 412)
As you will be aware, the Commission has issued
an opinion "Reforming Europe for the 21st Century" welcoming
the convening of an inter-governmental conference.
The opinion was issued in accordance with Article
48 EU Treaty and is a document published for communication to
the Council. As such, it is a "European Union document"
under Standing Order 143(1)(ii) and the Committee would expect
it to be formally deposited and an Explanatory Memorandum to be
provided to explain the Government's position on it.
The Explanatory Memorandum is, of course, a
matter for you, but the Committee would find it helpful if particular
attention could be paid to the question of the exclusive nature
of the IGC mandate, the relative status of the EU and EC Treaties
(with particular reference to Article 47EU), and to the discussion
by the Commission of the effect of the Charter (with particular
reference to the situation in the UK). There are in addition the
specific questions on the IGC mandate about which I wrote to you
on 11 July.
I am copying this letter to Lord Grenfell and
Simon Burton in the House of Lords; Les Saunders in the Cabinet
Office; and Tom Hines, Scrutiny Co-ordinator, and Guy Janes, Select
Committee Liaison Officer, in the FCO.
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