The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is due to lash out at MPs today for failing to scrutinize European legislation, accusing the UK parliament of being ‘asleep on the job’.
The CBI is calling for parliamentary reforms to increase national influence over the EU. In a call for further control, Director-General of the employers’ body, Digby-Jones has called for parliamentary reforms to increase national influence over the EU, which now makes more than half the laws affecting UK firms.
Digby Jones said: “When it comes to EU legislation, UK MPs have been asleep on the job. That is not acceptable for our country since more than half the laws affecting UK companies, and the jobs of millions, come from the European Commission.
“A reformed EU has to be our goal and the UK is now in a great position to advance an agenda for change. But we will fail if we are always the johnny-cum-lately to parliamentary scrutiny.”
Digby-Jones referred to the constraints that EU legislation was placing on business’ competitiveness.
The CBI paper recommends:
• Opportunities for interest groups to make timely representations to MPs on EU legislation
• The introduction of an early-warning system so MPs and interest groups can react speedily to European Commission proposals
• MPs to be more proactive in the EU legislative process
• MPs to scrutinize EU initiatives before the Commission produces a formal proposal or before first reading in the European Parliament
• The introduction of objective setting for ministers, creating a yardstick by which to judge success or failure
• Measures to improve communication between MPs and MEPs
