European and External Relations Committee, 19 Dec 2006

Meeting date: Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Official Report 269KB pdf

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Transposition and Implementation of European Directives Inquiry

Our third item concerns the Scottish Executive's regular report to the committee on the transposition and implementation of EU directives in devolved areas.

The paper recommends that we write to the Scottish Executive with a number of questions that arise from an analysis of the report, and that we progress some of the more general questions relating to the transposition process in the context of evidence that we will take at meetings in January and February, which follow on from Jim Wallace's inquiry. Do members have any comments?

The recommendations are welcome. It is also important that we give the Executive some advance notice, because we might otherwise be frustrated. If we give notice, the Executive can look into the matter.

We might also want to ask about the extent to which Scottish ministers have signed explanatory memoranda that have gone to House of Commons or House of Lords committees that deal with EU legislation, and whether those memoranda have been made formally available to the Scottish Parliament.

With the addition of that recommendation, are members happy to agree to the recommendations in the paper?

I do not want to comment on the detail of the matter. It seems to me that we are doing well overall, but I would like to know how we compare to other countries in Europe. Is there any way we can get those figures?

There is a table—

Is there? I would like to see the most recent table. Would it be possible to obtain that?

Yes, we can do that. Does everyone agree to the recommendations in the paper and to Jim Wallace's further recommendation?

Members indicated agreement.