Written Summary
Reforming Europol — important proposals
to be the subject of an opt-in debate
The draft Europol Regulation proposes merging the
functions of Europol and the European Police College (CEPOL) within
a single EU Agency for Law Enforcement Co-operation and Training,
strengthening the obligation on Member States to share information
with Europol, and enhancing scrutiny of the new Agency's activities
and budget by national Parliaments and the European Parliament.
As the draft Regulation is subject to the UK's justice and home
affairs opt-in and is likely to be of strong interest to Parliament,
the Government offered a debate — based on commitments made
by the Minister for Europe in January 2011 — on the Floor
of the House on a motion setting out whether or not it recommends
opting in. We raised a number of questions on the substance of
the draft Regulation, and asked the Government to tell us whether
or not it would recommend opting in, as well as the reasons why,
in sufficient time for us to report the Government's position
to the House before the debate takes place on 3 July. The Minister's
response, which we report this week, addresses our questions but
fails to tell us whether or not the Government intends to opt
into the draft Regulation. We consider that its failure to do
so undermines the Government's commitment to enhanced Parliamentary
scrutiny of important opt-in decisions. We ask the Minister to
explain why the Government has been unable to provide the information
we requested on the Government's recommended approach to the opt-in
in this case, and indicate that we will wish to review thoroughly
the Government's commitment to Lidington opt-in debates in light
of its inability to provide timely information on this and other
important opt-in decisions.
Development and migration
We also report on a Commission Communication which
seeks to establish the basis for a common position of the EU and
Member States at the forthcoming High Level Dialogue on International
Migration and Development organised by the United Nations General
Assembly which will take place in October 2013. The Communication
highlights the potential for migration and mobility to contribute
to the economic, social and environmental development of low and
middle income countries and identifies ways in which any negative
impacts can be mitigated. Whilst the Government welcomes the
Commission's contribution and endorses many of its "key messages",
it suggests that some are too prescriptive or contradict UK policy.
The Minister expects the Council to agree Conclusions in July
which ensure that national competences and policy preferences
are properly reflected in the EU's final position for the High
Level Dialogue. We ask him to provide us with a copy of the Conclusions
and an explanation of how they address the Government's concerns.
We also ask him to tell us who will represent the EU in the High
Level Dialogue and whether and how Member States will be able
to make their own contributions.
The functioning of the Schengen free movement
area
Although the UK remains outside the Schengen free
movement area, and continues to exercise border controls on all
individuals seeking entry to the UK, it has chosen to take part
in those aspects of Schengen cooperation dealing with policing
and law enforcement. Every six months, the Commission produces
a report on the functioning of the Schengen free movement area
which is intended to form the basis for political and strategic
discussions on recent developments at Ministerial level. The
latest report covers the period from 1 November 2012 to April
2013 and provides an overview of migratory pressures at the EU's
external border and migration flows within the Schengen area;
the application of the Schengen acquis by Member States;
and the use of "flanking" measures (such as the Schengen
Information System) which are intended to enhance security. Whilst
clearing the document from scrutiny, we note in our conclusion
that it is in the UK's interest to play an active part in these
discussions since the efficacy of controls at the EU's external
border, and the application of measures to strengthen security
within the Schengen area, will necessarily have some impact on
migratory pressures at the UK's borders and on its internal security.
EU Special Representatives
Following last week's reports on a series of Council
Decisions renewing the mandates of a number of EU Special Representatives
(EUSRs) the Committee reports this week on the EUSRs for the South
Caucasus and the Georgia conflict; the African Union; the Horn
of Africa; the Middle East Peace Process; Sudan and South Sudan;
and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are also reporting on a Council
Decision to increase the budget of the EUSR for Human Rights for
the remaining year of his mandate. The increase would be met
from the existing CFSP budget for missions and operations; having
successfully objected to the earlier proposals for larger budgetary
increases, the Government is reasonably content with the revised
budget.
Trans-European Telecommunications Network, 2014-20
Trans-European Networks in the areas of transport,
telecommunications and energy are aimed at promoting the interconnection
and interoperability of national networks and access to such networks.
In January 2012 a draft Regulation setting guidelines for the
Trans-European Telecommunications Network for 2014-20 was cleared
from scrutiny after debate by the House of Commons. It was predicated
on the Commission proposal that the network would be allocated
9.2 billion (£8 billion) in the Multiannual Financial Framework
for 2014-20. Today we considered an amended draft Regulation
which, as a result of the European Council's agreement to reduce
the size of the Commission's proposals for the Multiannual Financial
Framework, would allocate €1 billion (£0.8 billion)
to the Trans-European Telecommunications Network, to be focussed
on a smaller number of digital service infrastructures and a limited
contribution to broadband networks. Given that the budgetary
provision for the Trans-European Telecommunications Network has
been scaled back, we are content to clear this amended proposal
from scrutiny.
European Earth Observation Programme
Pending further information from the Government addressing
its concerns about the lack of clarity of some of the proposed
administrative arrangements, we decided to hold under scrutiny
a draft Regulation setting out the financial and governance provisions
for the European Earth Observation Programme ("Copernicus")
for the period 2014-20.
Other documents reported
We are also reporting on documents relating to:
- Department for Business, Innovation and Skills:
EU Structural and Cohesion Fund programmes
- HM Treasury: Money laundering and terrorist
financing; 2013 European Semester
- Home Office: European statistics on safety
from crime; Development and migration
- Ministry of Justice: Public access to EU
documents
- Transport: Freight transport
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