MPs debate remaining stages of EU (Approvals) Bill

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• Read current Parliamentary material in Topics: Europe

The Bill was reported, without amendment and was read a third time and passed, without amendment. The Bill has now completed all its stages in the House of Commons and will return to the House of Lords for consideration.

Related information

Summary of the European Union (Approvals) Bill

The Bill aims to approve two draft EU Council Regulations made under Article 352 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). They concern:

• access to the historical archives of the European institutions from a single location at the European Union Institute in Florence;
• the 'Europe for Citizens' programme (promoting remembrance of Europe’s history) from 2014 to 2020.

Progress of the Bill

The second reading of the Bill in the House of Commons took place on 13 January 2014. The Bill was presented to Parliament on 16 July 2013 and completed its passage through the House of Lords on 21 October 2013.

Keep up to date with all the proceedings and documentation, including amendment papers, on the European Union (Approvals) Bill and find out how a Bill becomes an Act of Parliament.

• Follow Bills before Parliament: European Union (Approvals) Bill
• About Parliament: Passage of a Bill

House of Commons Library Analysis

The House of Commons Library produces briefing papers to inform MPs of key issues. The papers contain factual information and a range of opinions on each subject, and aim to be politically impartial. The Library has published a briefing paper for the European Union (Approvals) Bill.

• Read Library Briefing Paper: European Union (Approvals) Bill

What happens at a committee of the whole House?

Committee stage is where detailed examination of a bill takes place within the main Chamber of the Commons.

What is the report stage of a bill?

The report stage gives MPs an opportunity, on the floor of the House, to consider any further amendments (proposals for change) to a bill which has been examined in a public bill committee or on the floor of the House. There is no set time period between the end of committee stage and the start of the report stage.

What happens at report stage?

All MPs may speak and vote. For lengthy or complex bills, the debates may be spread over several days. All MPs can suggest amendments to the bill or new clauses (parts) that they think should be added.

What happens after report stage?

Report stage is usually followed immediately by debate on the bill's third reading.

What happens at third reading?

Debate on the bill is usually short, and limited to what is actually in the bill, rather than, as at second reading, what might have been included.

Amendments (proposals for change) cannot be made to a bill at a third reading in the Commons. At the end of the debate, the House decides whether to approve the third reading of the bill.

What happens after third reading?

As the Bill started in the Lords it returns to the House of Lords for consideration of any amendments the Commons has made.

Watching proceedings from the public gallery

UK residents and overseas visitors can watch proceedings in the House of Commons by visiting the public gallery.

• How to attend a debate in the Chamber or in Westminster Hall

This article was produced by the Commons Digital Outreach Team. Follow @HouseofCommons on Twitter for updates on the UK House of Commons Chamber.