Comitology: A complex process that Parliament will use for the Citizen's benefit

6.56.24pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 5th Jul 2006

Democratic scrutiny of how the European Union is run gets a big boost tomorrow when MEPs are likely to set up a new way of tracking how EU law is put into effect inside the member states.

The EU Treaty allows the Commission to have delegated authority to oversee the implementation of legislation on the ground, working through committees of national civil servants ‑ the so-called 'comitology' system. But so far comitology has been beyond proper democratic control.

Once the new inter-institutional agreement comes into force, the Parliament will be able to call back any item for review previously delegated to the Commission under the ordinary legislative procedure if it does not like the way the Commission or member states are working.

Speaking to the European Parliament in support of the reform today, European Liberal Democrat constitutional affairs spokesman Andrew DUFF said:

"The new 'regulatory procedure with scrutiny' puts the Parliament on exactly the same standing as the Council of Ministers. Both chambers of the legislature will now be able to call in delegated measures if they are thought to go too far.

"Democratic control of the executive arm of the Union will be greatly enhanced. Technical minutiae will be able to be left to the comitology system with much greater confidence once the system itself becomes properly scrutinised.

"MEPs will get to do more politics instead of being tied down in mind-numbing detail. Parliament and Council will still be responsible for the main political choices in any legislation, but the executive authority of the Commission will be efficiently and sensibly reinforced.

"Comitology is a complex process, reserved for experts, and it will remain so. But what will change will be its practical results. For example, once the REACH proposals on registration of chemicals are adopted a committee will be charged with technical follow-up. Without the present agreement, this would fall exclusively into the hands of national civil servants and expert lobbyists from industry. The comitology agreement means that Parliament will now also have a say on technical modifications."