What the 14th Standing Committee on EU Policies does

The 14th Standing Committee on EU Policies was established in 2003 to replace the former Committee on European Community Affairs, within a broader revision of the Senate Rules concerning the relations between the Senate and the European Union. Under to the new Senate Rules, members of the 14th Standing Committee - unlike those of the other 13 Senate committees - are also members of another standing committee. Double membership ensures that members of the 14th Committee combine deep knowledge of European issues with good knowledge of matters within the terms of reference of the other committee they sit on. In Europe, the 14th Committee is one of few parliamentary bodies enjoying such characteristics, which improves the value of its debates and deliberations.

The 14th Committee has general jurisdiction over the constitutional aspects of the activity of the EU and its bodies and the transposition of Community measures. It also has jurisdiction over compliance with Community law. It is responsible for relations with the European Parliament and the Conference of Community Affairs Committees of EU Parliaments (COSAC), and examines and reports to the Senate on the Community Bill introduced every year by the Government to fulfil Community obligations.

Apart from these more general tasks, the Committee's terms of reference may be divided into three main areas: consideration of EU measures (regulatory and other); examination of national legislation relating to Community law; other non-regulatory activities (policy-setting and oversight).