JOINT COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN SCRUTINY debate -
Tuesday, 22 Sep 2009

Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals: Discussion.

Chairman

COM (2008) 422 is a proposal for a Council directive implementing the agreement concluded with the European Community Shipowners Association, ECSA, and the European Transport Workers Federation, ETWF, on the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 and amending directive. Given the information now provided by the Department, it is proposed that this adopted measure be noted.

COM (2008) 467 is a proposal for a Council regulation. It is proposed that this adopted measure be noted. Given the technical nature of COM (2008) 675 it is proposed that the committee note the proposal. Given the information provided by the Department on COM (2008) 790 it is proposed that this adopted proposal be noted by the committee. Given the information now provided by the Department on COM (2008) 847 it is proposed that this adopted proposal be noted by the committee. With regard to COM (2009) 198, given the information provided by the Department it is proposed that this adopted measure be noted. Given the information provided by the Department on COM (2009) 352 and COM (2009) 355, it is proposed to note these adopted measures. On COM (2009) 216, given the information provided by the Department it is proposed to note the adopted measure. Given the information provided by the Department on COM (2009) 350, it is proposed to note this adopted measure. Given the information note provided by the Department on COM (2009) 386, it is proposed to note the adopted measure. With regard to COM (2009) — FON, given the information provided by the Department it is proposed to note the adopted measure.

I will now refer to proposals proposed for no further scrutiny. Given that the basic aim of proposal COM (2008) 543 is to improve the provisions of an existing 1986 directive and the scope allowed in a directive for member states to decide on practical transposition measures, it is proposed to note the measure at this stage. Given the information note now provided by the Department on COM (2008) 658, it is proposed that the committee note this measure. Given that proposal COM (2008) 700 has no implications for Ireland, it is proposed that it does not warrant further scrutiny.

Item No. 2.4 is COM (2009) 185. It is proposed that this technical measure does not require further scrutiny.

Item No. 2.5 is COM (2009) 375 and item No. 2.6 is COM (2009) 377. Given the information provided by the Department, it is proposed that the committee should note these two technical measures.

Item No. 2.7 is COM (2009) 113. Given that this is a technical proposal that does not amend existing law, it is proposed to note the measure.

Item No. 2.8 is COM (2009) 195. Given the information provided by the Department, it is proposed to note this measure.

Item No. 2.9 is COM (2009) 254. Given the technical nature of this proposal, it is proposed that the committee should note the measure.

Item No. 2.10 is COM (2009) 399. Given the information provided by the Department, it is proposed to note this measure.

There are no proposals proposed to be sent to sectoral committees for their information. Item No. 4 concerns CFSP measures. Item No. 4.1 is CFSP (2009) 573. It is proposed to note this measure.

There are no Title VI — TEU — and Title IV — TERC — measures. Item No. 6 concerns early warning notes. Item No. 6.1 is EWN L208-07. Given that there are no reported difficulties for Ireland, it is proposed that this trade review does not warrant further scrutiny at this stage.

There are no proposals proposed for further scrutiny and no proposals proposed for forwarding to sectoral committees for their observations. There are also no proposals proposed for referral to sectoral committees for detailed scrutiny.

Senator Paddy Burke

COM (2009) 355 concerns Brazilian beef coming into the country. On the radio earlier today I heard somebody say some farms in Brazil used slave labour. We know all about beef coming into the country from Argentina, but is this an additional provision concerning an extra amount of beef coming into the country from Brazil?

Chairman

That is a good question. This is a proposal for a Council decision on the conclusion of an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Community and Brazil. In its information note the Department advises that the proposal will allow for a limited increase in the importation into the European Union of products, including beef and poultry meat, from Brazil, maintaining the current in-quota rate applied by the Union on each tariff line. There are no implications for Ireland in relation to sugar, but that would not be an issue. The background to this matter is that with the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, the Union enlarged its customs union and is obliged under WTO rules to negotiate compensatory adjustments with third countries. The proposal makes technical adjustments to the tariffs and statistical codes for imports of beef, poultry and sugar to reflect an agreement with Brazil. Brazil's preferential import quotas will increase by 14,000 tonnes for beef, 5,000 tonnes for poultry and 300,000 tonnes for sugar, reflecting imports of these products into Bulgaria and Romania during the reference period.

Senator Paddy Burke

It is only coming into Bulgaria and Romania; therefore, it will not find its way here.

Chairman

In the light of the enlarged customs union, the agreement allows for extra exports from Brazil, but there is a ban on Brazilian beef. As the Senator said, the proposal concerns Bulgaria and Romania and does not mean the products mentioned will come into Ireland. I sincerely hope not.

Senator Paddy Burke

Has the proposal been adopted by the Department?

Chairman

It has been adopted by the European Union in Brussels.

Senator Paddy Burke

Therefore, such a proposal does not have to be brought before us. Why is this proposal before us?

Chairman

It came to us late. That should not be the case, but it is. We will raise the matter with the Department, as it is a very important point. If it had had an impact or presented a problem, we would have had no control over it.

Senator Paddy Burke

That is correct. Will we receive a reply from the Department?

Chairman

We will. We will raise our concern that we should be notified earlier on these issues.

Senator Paddy Burke

I thank the Chairman.

Chairman

We normally meet every two weeks, but due to the Lisbon treaty referendum and the COSAC plenary session, it is proposed to hold our next meeting in three weeks' time on 13 October on which date, hopefully, we will be very happy Europeans. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The joint committee adjourned at 1 p.m. until noon on Tuesday, 13 October 2009.