Download or read book Evidence from the Ambassador of Portugal on the priorities of the Portuguese presidency written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: European Union Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-07-26 with total page 25 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evidence from the Ambassador of Portugal on the priorities of the Portuguese Presidency : Report with evidence, 29th report of Session 2006-07

Download or read book Conundrum written by Richard Bacon and published by Biteback Publishing. This book was released on 2013-06-18 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Government failure is affecting everyone. The single mum worried sick by a tax credit demand from HMRC to 'repay' thousands of pounds she never received; the family whose holiday was ruined because the Passport Office couldn't issue passports in time; the school that couldn't open at the start of term because CRB checks were being carried out by an organisation in meltdown; the farmers led to bankruptcy and even suicide by a Kafkaesque system for administering farm payments; and rail operators facing an uncertain future because the Department for Transport inadvertently landed the whole rail franchising system in chaos. Why is government getting it so wrong? Richard Bacon and Christopher Hope delve into the astonishing world of cock-ups and catastrophes and ponder why those at the top continue to fall short.

Download or read book Current developments in European foreign policy written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: European Union Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-10-30 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evidence taken before Sub-committee C (Foreign Affairs, Defence and Development Policy)

Download or read book 29th Report of Session 2006 07 written by Great Britain. Parliament. House of Lords. Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee and published by . This book was released on 2007-07-26 with total page 5 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 29th report of Session 2006-07

Download or read book Protecting the consumers of timeshare products written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: European Union Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-12-18 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Timeshare is popular, especially amongst UK consumers, but the sector has often caused problems. The European Communities removed many of the worst excesses with its 1994 Directive, which introduced a right of withdrawal, a cooling-off period, and a ban on advance payments during the cooling-off period. However there are loopholes that have been exploited by the unscrupulous and complaints about long term holiday clubs have grown dramatically. The Commission is seeking to address these problems with proposals for a broader directive. This report considers that directive's strengths and weaknesses.

Download or read book Twenty second report of session 2010 11 written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: European Scrutiny Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2011-03-24 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Twenty-second report of Session 2010-11 : Documents considered by the Committee on 16 March 2011, report, together with formal Minutes

Download or read book The EU reform treaty written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: European Union Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-11 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This progress report presents evidence taken by the Committee during the summer recess on the draft EU Reform Treaty on which negotiations have been proceeding in the Inter Governmental Conference (IGC), as well as correspondence raising questions with the Minister for Europe. The Committee sets out its plan for further in depth analysis of the impact of the reform Treaty on the UK and discusses specific questions of the role of national parliaments. The report notes the tight mandate given to the IGC has had the effect that its work has been largely technical and asks the Government to report to the House on the impact of this procedure.

Download or read book European supervision order written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: European Union Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-07-25 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is estimated that at any one time 4,500 EU nationals are held in custody in countries other than their normal place of residence. As they are less likely to be granted bail (because of a greater perceived of absconsions) the Commission has proposed a European supervision order (ESO), which would mean that authorities in a person's home State would also be responsible for returning them for trial. This report examines the proposal in detail and makes some recommendations for improvement. The Committee welcome the proposal and think it deserves prompt attention by Member States.

Download or read book The future of the Common Agriculture Policy written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: European Union Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2008-03-06 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 2003 reform of the Common Agricultural Policy marked the culmination of a gradual reorientation of EU farm subsidies from product support to direct income support. A mid-term "Health Check" of this reform is now underway, exploring what further adjustments may be required for the period 2009 to 2013. The Commission's proposals for short-term adjustments to the CAP merit broad support. The Committee is not convinced of the long-term justification for maintaining direct subsidy payments in their present form, and advocates a phased reduction in direct payments over the course of the next financial period beginning in 2014. A significant proportion of the funds released should remain earmarked for the CAP, but be spent on the rural development element of the policy rather than on farm subsidies. The report also addresses the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the EU agriculture industry. The sector is a significant contributor to climate change, but also vulnerable to its effects. Climate change may present a business opportunity for the industry, which is uniquely placed to deliver environmental services. Soaring global demand for many agricultural commodities has allowed some sectors of the European farming industry to prosper, while others are grappling with rising input prices and stagnant or falling output prices. Were supply shortages to ensue in future, the Committee expects that food scarcity would be a function of income rather than of production capacity. Those most at risk are consumers on low incomes in the developing world. Further trade liberalisation in the agriculture sector is supported, but if direct payments are withdrawn and import tariffs reduced-as the UK Government advocates-then the production standards that EU producers of agricultural goods are obliged to meet should be re-examined.

Download or read book The management of secondary legislation written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2008-03-12 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report is a follow-up to the Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee 29th report, session 2005-06 (HL Paper 149-I, ISBN 9780104008409). The earlier report set out some recommendations on how the process of making secondary legislation could be improved, and this report examines that progress. Statutory Instruments (SIs), often described as secondary legislation, are the means by which government departments implement the policy measures laid down by Acts of Parliament (primary legislation). There are approximately 1200 SIs laid for parliamentary proceedings each year. The Committee believes that Government Department's still need to do more to improve the planning and quality of SIs and the policy delivered through them, such a step would help in the Committee's process of scrutiny, as well as easing the impact of such legislation on stakeholders. The Committee further invites the Government to consider the timing and cumulative impact of SIs on those regulated and that Department's should pay more attention to the strategic planning of SIs, especially those delivering a policy set by a new Act. Also the Committee states that more resources should be devoted to the consolidation and simplification of secondary legislation so that the law is clearer and more accessible. The Committee does welcome the new format of Impact Assessments (IAs) which should be provided for key measures affecting public and voluntary sectors. Every SI or its Explanatory Memorandum should clearly express its policy objective and how the success is to be measured and evaluated. Each Department is responsible for its own secondary legislation and the Committee invites each Secretary of State to ensure that senior management systematically checks the quality of such legislation.

Download or read book European contract law written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: European Union Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2009-06-10 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This particular report from the European Union Committee (HLP 95, ISBN 9780108444364) considers the proposal for a Draft Common Frame of Reference in respect of European contract law. The Draft contains principles, definitions and model rules in the form of a code covering wide areas of Civil Law. The Committee notes some significant issues relating to the general approach the Draft adopts, along with differences between the model rules set out in the Draft and the provisions of English common law. The Committee remains opposed to a harmonised code of European contract law and does not believe the European Commission has a useful role in promoting or developing an alternative set of contractual terms for use by contracting parties. It believes one way forward may be for the Commission to identify particular key areas that give difficulty under existing Community law or are likely to require legislative intervention. The Committee recognises the value of the Draft as an academic work by presenting useful material for discussion and can act as an aid to the mutual understanding of the diverse legal systems represented in the European Union.

Download or read book An EU Competition Court written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: European Union Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-04-23 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Large cross-border mergers have to be cleared in advance by the EC Commission. If the Commission prohibits a merger, or a third party objects to the clearance, the decision can be challenged in the Court of First Instance (CFI). However the CFI procedure can take several months, thereby prolonging uncertainty and sometimes causing bids to be abandoned. This is unsatisfactory and the CBI has proposed a new Competition Court as the way forward. This report looks at this proposal and concludes that such a court would not be the best way forward. Instead there is scope for improving current procedures by firmer case management, reducing the work load of the CFI by transferring trade mark cases, and improving the Commission's handling of cases to reduce the number and scope of challenges.

Download or read book Modernising European Union labour law written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: European Union Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-06-27 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In its Green Paper about the need for labour market reform, the European Commission argued that the increasing diversity of 21st century working relationships means that existing labour law is no longer adequate. This report brings together the evidence from a wide range f experts and representative bodies about these issues as they affect the UK labour market. It finds that the evidence does not support the Commission. The consensus is that the relatively light regulation of the UK labour market is advantageous and that problems of social disadvantage and structural unemployment are better addressed by measures aimed at tackling poor skills and social inequality rather than changing labour law. The report therefore recommends that efforts at EU level should focus on the promotion and sharing of good practice, rather than the introduction of new legislation.

Download or read book Remaining Government responses session 2004 05 written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: European Union Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-11-02 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Government is expected to respond to all reports from the Committee, within two months of publication The Committee then makes them available to the House and publishes them as required. This report makes 35 such responses available.

Download or read book The Disqualification Triad written by Gert Vermeulen and published by Maklu. This book was released on 2012 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the past decades, the European Union has made little progress with respect to disqualifications as a sanction mechanism for the violation of laws. The creation of some form of harmonization is necessary, but the complex nature of this specific sanction mechanism has caused policy initiatives to be postponed, time after time. In answer to a call from the European Commission, the contributors in this book have conducted a comparative legal analysis in the EU 27 and looked into the practical experiences with disqualifications from a domestic and a cross border perspective. To that end, academics, policy makers, and practitioners in the Member States have been consulted. Analysis reveals a wide variety in the typology of the disqualifications as a sanction measure, the typology of the persons to whom the disqualifications can be imposed, and the typology of the authorities involved. Furthermore, there are considerable differences with respect to the inclusion of disqualifications in the national criminal records databases. Linked thereto information on foreign disqualifications is scarce and rarely used in practice. To ensure a comprehensive and consistent policy approach, this book has come up with a so called disqualification triad, comprising: (1) unified EU-wide disqualifications, (2) mutual recognition of disqualifications, and (3) EU-wide equivalent effect of disqualifications. The functioning of the disqualification triad has been further elaborated on in three case studies, which are public procurement disqualifications, disqualifications from working with children, and driving disqualifications. In doing so, this book is essential reading for both EU and national policy makers, as well as for researchers and practitioners involved. (Series: Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy [IRCP] - No. 45)

Download or read book The future of the UK s strategic nuclear deterrent written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Defence Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-12-19 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In its White Paper (published in December 2006 as Cm 6994, ISBN 0101699425) on the future of the UK's nuclear deterrent, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to maintain the submarine-based Trident weapons system. This will require the procurement of a new generation of nuclear-powered Trident submarines to replace the current fleet of Vanguard-class submarines. Following on from the Committee's earlier report on the strategic context and timetable for decision-making on the renewal of the UK's nuclear deterrent (HCP 986, session 2005-06; ISBN 0215029445), this report focuses on issues related to the UK manufacturing and skills base. These include: the level of investment needed to sustain essential infrastructure and core skills in the UK submarine construction industry; the potential consequences of a gap in the submarine building programme for the long-term viability of the domestic manufacturing and skills base; the implications of the rationalisation of the UK shipbuilding industry for the construction, maintenance and affordability of a Vanguard-class successor; and the linkage between the Government's Defence Industrial Strategy and the decision on retention, replacement or abolition of the UK's Trident system. It also examines the Government's investment programme at the Atomic Weapons Establishment and the possible impact of a new civil nuclear build programme for the retention of nuclear skills and expertise in the military sector.

Download or read book Transparency and Proportionality in the Schengen Information System and Border Control Co Operation written by Stephen Kabera Karanja and published by Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. This book was released on 2008 with total page 491 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume offers an evaluation of the Schengen Information System and border control co-operation from a transparency and proportionality perspective. It also incorporates a legal descriptive analysis of the co-operation in order to accommodate the changes and developments that occurred during the writing period. The transparency and proportionality perspectives are developed from human rights and data protection criteria. Transparency is understood as knowledge and accessibility to legal information as well as openness and accountability. On the other hand, proportionality is a requirement for guidance, balance and justification as well as a need to avoid excessiveness and arbitrariness in border control work. The final findings reveal that the Schengen co-operation suffers from a deficiency of transparency and proportionality. Consequently, measures are proposed to augment the deficiency. Even as this study was reaching its conclusion, fundamental legislative changes, closely similar to some of the arguments and recommendations projected in this study, took place. The efficacy of these changes is yet to be discerned.