European Committees
Encyclopedia
The European Committees are general committees of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom to which the European Scrutiny Committee
(ESC) may refer for further consideration European Union
documents laid before the Commons. EU documents are referred to one of three European Committees depending on the subject area as determined by the ESC:
The committee debates and votes on an amendable motion with respect to the document, with the chair reporting to the House the resolution or that the committee came to no resolution. Shortly thereafter (generally within days), the House votes on a motion with respect to the document without debate.
The chair is chosen by the Speaker
from the Panel of Chairs
, and thirteen members are chosen to sit as one of the European Committees with respect to each referred document, with two being members of the ESC and two being members of the relevant departmental select committee where practicable. The same membership may be nominated to scrutinise more than one document.
European Scrutiny Committee
The European Scrutiny Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the Committee is to assess the legal and political importance of each EU document, and decide which EU documents are debated...
(ESC) may refer for further consideration European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
documents laid before the Commons. EU documents are referred to one of three European Committees depending on the subject area as determined by the ESC:
- A Energy and Climate Change; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Transport, Communities and Local Government; Forestry Commission; and analogous responsibilities of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Offices
- B HM Treasury (including HM Revenue and Customs); Work and Pensions; Foreign and Commonwealth Office; International Development; Home Office; Ministry of Justice (excluding those responsibilities of the Scotland and Wales Office which fall to European Committee A); together with any matters not otherwise allocated
- B Business, Innovation and Skills; Children, Schools and Families (Education); Culture Media and Sport; Health
The committee debates and votes on an amendable motion with respect to the document, with the chair reporting to the House the resolution or that the committee came to no resolution. Shortly thereafter (generally within days), the House votes on a motion with respect to the document without debate.
The chair is chosen by the Speaker
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
from the Panel of Chairs
Panel of Chairs
The Panel of Chairs are members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom responsible for chairing public bill committees and other General Committees, as well as debates in Westminster Hall, the parallel debating chamber. The three Deputy Speakers, who are automatically members, are...
, and thirteen members are chosen to sit as one of the European Committees with respect to each referred document, with two being members of the ESC and two being members of the relevant departmental select committee where practicable. The same membership may be nominated to scrutinise more than one document.