House of Lords

Session 2007-08 Publications on the internet European Union Committee Publications

European Union - Twenty-Second Report Here you can browse the report which was ordered by the House of Lords to be printed 15 July 2008. CONTENTS Terms of Reference Foreword—what this Report is about Chapter 1: Introduction Can the sources of legislation be traced? Chapter 2: The Right of Initiative A legislature without the power to propose legislation Whose initiative?—the first pillar Whose initiative?—the third pillar The Treaty of Lisbon The right of initiative—a misnomer? A right to propose, not dispose Chapter 3: Inside the Commission Initiation of Proposals Holding the initiative Policy-making networks Tracing the sources Table 1: Exercise of the Commission's Right of Initiative in 1998 One source among many An evolving role The administrative culture Development of proposals Strategic planning Analysis and consultation Justice and the common law Annual plans Too many plans, not enough coordination? Impact assessment Assessing the assessors Inter-service consultation Drafting Chapter 4: Other Institutions and the Advisory Committees The European Council Calls for legislation from the European Council Commission responses to the European Council The Council of Ministers (the Council) Calls for legislation from the Council Box 1: The REACH Regulation Commission responses to the Council The European Parliament Calls for legislation from the European Parliament Box 2: Legislation to combat discrimination Commission responses to the European Parliament The planning process The Economic and Social Committee The Committee of the Regions Chapter 5: Stakeholders, Interest Groups and Other Lobbyists Definitions Purpose of lobbying Lobbying in practice Impact of lobbying Utility of lobbying EU funding Chapter 6: The Member States Successful influencing And a failure Contacts with the Commission Holding the Presidency National parliaments Citizens Chapter 7: Police Cooperation and Criminal Justice—A Special Case Exercise of the right of initiative Table 2: Initiative for legislation adopted under Title VI TEU Concurrent proposals Individual Member States Groups of Member States Chapter 8: Is the Commission's Near Monopoly Desirable? The rationale Legitimacy Is the monopoly a good thing? Chapter 9: Observations and Conclusions The right of initiative in perspective The sources of ideas for legislation Planning Consultation Impact assessment Drafting Lobbying National parliaments Different legal systems Member States' initiatives The Commission's near-monopoly Appendix 1: Sub-Committee E (Law and Institutions) Appendix 2: List of Witnesses Appendix 3: Call for Evidence Appendix 4: Glossary Appendix 5: Reports Oral and Written Evidence Oral evidence, 23 April 2008 Oral evidence, 30 April 2008 Oral evidence, 7 May 2008 Oral evidence, 8 May 2008 Oral evidence, 4 June 2008 Written Evidence

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