Vol. 577 No. 1
15 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on Finnish procedures whereby a special organ of parliament called a grand committee, has constitutionally enforced powers to ensure that the Finnish Parliament participates fully in the formulation of Finnish policy regarding EU legislative proposals. [30411/03]
Most EU partners now have in place scrutiny procedures to ensure that their parliaments are informed of and have an opportunity to influence their governments in relation to the EU law making process. The procedures differ from one member state to another.
As regards Finland, the grand committee of the Finnish Parliament, which scrutinises draft EU laws, has been in existence since 1907 as a scrutinising body for national legislation. When Finland joined the EU in 1995, it was decided that this body would assume responsibility for the scrutiny of draft EU law which impacts on or results in new or amended domestic legislation. The views expressed by the Finnish Parliament on matters which fall within the parliament's competence are, as I understand it, politically binding. Another parliamentary committee, the foreign affairs committee, reviews common foreign and security policy issues.
Enhanced provisions for the scrutiny by the Oireachtas of EU business were introduced by the Government in July 2002, and placed on a statutory basis in the EU (Scrutiny) Act in October 2002. These procedures provide for the scrutiny by the Oireachtas of most draft legal measures at an early stage of their development. Under the terms of the EU (Scrutiny) Act, the Government shall have regard to the views expressed by the Oireachtas.
