"Bizarre" EU decision-making process upsets MPs

Monday, 04, Feb 2008 12:01

MPs have attacked the "secretive and bizarre" process used to prepare and approve decisions made by European leaders.

The Commons' European scrutiny committee is critical of the European council of ministers, which serves as the EU's decision-making body.

Although its choices are not binding they are seen as representing political commitments and are an important part of Britain's interaction with Europe, the report notes.

This makes it all the more "indefensible" that the council's findings are not always published, MPs say. At present the publication of coucil conclusions rests with whichever member state holds the EU's rotating presidency.

"We are extremely concerned by the prime minister's apparent ability to commit the UK to politically binding European Council conclusions, which have such a major influence on the direction of EU business, without needing to call for parliamentary scrutiny," MPs say in the report.

They call on Gordon Brown to press other member states to establish criteria for when conclusions are required.

The report adds: "It seems to us indefensible that the Westminster parliament is denied access to the draft conclusions when some other national parliaments are provided with the draft conclusions by their governments and have the opportunity to question ministers about them before the meeting of the European Council."

Committee chairman Michael Connarty said: "We are extremely concerned by the prime minister's apparent ability to commit the UK to politically binding European Council conclusions, which have such a major influence on the direction of EU business, without needing to call for parliamentary scrutiny."

The Foreign Office did not comment before the report's publication.