UKREP and the Brussels decision making process Nigel Barclay
Or.....the view from Brussels
What is UKRep? The United Kingdom Permanent Representation to the European Union Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible for UKRep UKRep is effectively an embassy The Permanent Representative is an ambassador
Functions of UKRep Official Line of Communication Information Gathering Lobbying Commercial Activities Representing UK in EU meetings Advising Ministers at Council meetings
Organisation of UKRep About 140 people Permanent Representative (Ambassador): Kim Darroch Deputy Permanent Representative: Andy Lebrecht Organised into sections covering all EU policy areas
Staff of UKRep About a third are support staff Each section has a Head of Section Remaining staff are mainly desk officers drawn from across Whitehall and Devolved administrations Desk officers are not Departmental representatives
Negotiating on behalf of the UK UKRep advises Whitehall/others on how negotiations are going and on Commission / other delegations / European Parliament views UKRep receives (and may challenge) instructions - a negotiating mandate - from the UK government UKRep negotiates - formally and informally - to win the best deal for UK interests
Brussels: The Players European Commission Council of the European Union European Parliament European Court of Justice European Court of Auditors Committee of the Regions Economic and Social Committee
Brussels Decision Making The Main Players Commission European Parliament Council
COMMISSION PROPOSAL COUNCIL EP OPINION (1st READING) COMMON POSITION EP COUNCIL Conciliation OPINION (2nd READING)
The Commission
The Commission What is it? 27 Commissioners (1 from each MS). Appointed not elected Commissioners collectively known as College. Headed by President. 15,000 Commission officials. Divided into Directorates General (roughly equivalent to ministries)
The Commission What does it do? Sole right of initiative to propose legislation Power to make Secondary legislation Responsible for day to day running of the EU (Chairs Management and Regulatory Committees eg Standing Committees) Guardian of the Treaties
The Council
The Council of Ministers Adopts primary legislation (with EP) Various Council formats (eg. Health, Agriculture) Chaired by country holding Presidency Ministerial meetings held in Brussels and Luxembourg Supported by Secretariat
Negotiations in the Council COMMISSION PROPOSAL COUNCIL WORKING GROUP ATTACHES COPHS COREPER II (Perm Reps) COREPER I (Deputy Perm Reps) Council of Ministers Special Committee on Agriculture (Common Agriculture Policy)
Council Working Groups Experts from Capitals and Permanent Representations Technical Examination Solving Technical Problems Identifying Political Difficulties
COREPER (Committee of Permanent representatives) Permanent Representatives (II) or their Deputies (I) Each meets at least once a week No Experts Quasi-political Problem-solving Last Stage before Ministers
Council of Ministers Ministers and Commissioners Frequency of Meetings Determined by Amount of Business Political Forum A points and B points
Qualified Majority Voting D, F, I, UK 29 SP, Pol, 27 Romania 14 NL 13 B, Gr, Por, Cz, Hu 12 Aus, Swe, Bulg 10 Dk, Irl, Fin, Slk, Lith 7 Slvn, Lat, Est, Cyp, Lux 4 Mal 3 Total 345 Qualified Majority Blocking Minority 255 + 14 MSs + 62% of pop 91 or 14 MSs
The European Parliament
European Parliament MEPs directly elected for 5 years Meets in Brussels and Strasbourg Powers vary according to treaty provisions
Composition 736 MEPs from 27 Member States 100 + national political parties, represented in 8 main political groups Centre-right majority since 1999 Party -v- Group -v-nationality -v- Interests
EP Procedures CO-DECISION Parliament has two readings If Parliament and Council cannot agree, there is Conciliation Parliament may block legislation
EP FIRST READING TIMETABLE 1 RAPPORTEUR APPOINTED 2 COMMITTEE HAS INITIAL DISCUSSION 3 RAPPORTEUR WRITES REPORT 4 COMMITTEE DISCUSSES REPORT 5 OTHER MEPs MAY TABLE AMENDMENTS 6 COMMITTEE VOTE 7 POLITICAL GROUPS MAY TABLE EXTRA AMENDMENTS 8 PLENARY DISCUSSION AND VOTE
THE DEBATING CHAMBER CHAIR, VICE CHAIR GUEST SPEAKERS CTTEE SEC COUNCIL EPP 265 EFD 30 ALDE 85 ECR 55 SOCIALISTS 184 GREENS 55 IND 28 ASSISTANTS AND PUBLIC OTHER OFFICIALS GUE/NGL 35
USEFUL ADDRESSES EP: www.europarl.eu CO-DECISION : www.ec.europa.eu/codecision/stepbystep/diagram_en.htm UKREP: http://ukeu.fco.gov.uk/en/ DG MARE http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/maritimeaffairs_fisheries/index_en.htm COMMISSION PHONE BOOK: www. ec.europa.eu/staffdir/plsql/gsys_tel.display_search?plang=en