National non-legislative measures (subject to committeeor Senate approval)

The Committee may adopt resolutions to guide Government action on matters referred to the Committee. This power has been exerted more than once over the years, especially with reference to Council and Commission legislative and operational proposals. On those occasions, the Government has been able to receive the 14th Committee's opinion on such measures. The Committee may table its resolutions to the whole Senate, in order to let such measure receive the full endorsement of the Senate as a recommendation to the Government.

For the purpose of monitoring Government action, the 14th Committee, like all other committees, may gather information on matters within its terms of reference from both the members of the European Parliament and the members of the Commission.

The 14th Standing Committee also participates in the Conference of Community Affairs Committees of EU Parliaments (cosac). In this context, it has often expressed its willingness to strengthen the Conference, in order to attain greater integration of national Parliaments in their rôle to scrutinise legislation. Owing also to the mediation of the Senate 14th Standing Committee and its counterpart in the Chamber, the 30th cosac, which met in the Senate on 6 and 7 October 2003, agreed to set up a cosac Secretariat, which started operations in Brussels in January 2004.