UK House of Lords EU Committee Calls for Greater Role of National Parliaments in EU Decision-Making

On March 24, the House of Lords EU Committee has called for a greater role for national parliaments in EU decision-making, including the introduction of a ‘Green Card’ procedure to enable a group of national parliaments to work together to propose new EU legislation or amend existing European law. The report also says that national parliaments, working together, should have the right to require proposed EU legislation to be withdrawn or substantially amended.

Greater cooperation between national parliaments and early engagement by national parliaments with the European Commission form key themes in the report. The Committee say that national parliaments should work together to engage with the Commission early in the development of legislative proposals, and that the Commission should respond positively and promptly to that engagement.

The report also calls for a strengthening of the existing ‘Yellow Card’ process which enables national parliaments to ask the European Commission to think again.  The Committee say that when a Yellow Card is issued the Commission should be required to withdraw or substantially amend its proposal. They also propose expanding the scope of Yellow Cards to include proportionality concerns over measures that go beyond what is necessary to achieve EU treaty objectives.

The Committee conclude that these improvements can be made through agreements involving national parliaments, national governments and the EU institutions, without the need for Treaty change.

Originally published on the website of the UK Parliament.

Photo by mathrong.

To read the entire report, please click here.

To learn more about the inquiry into the role of national parliaments in the European Union, please click here.