Committees Visit Brussels to Discuss the UK's 2014 Opt-Out Decision
25 January 2013
The joint inquiry by two of the Lords EU Sub-Committees – Home Affairs, Health and Education, chaired by Lord Hannay of Chiswick, and Justice, Institutions and Consumer Protection, chaired by Lord Bowness – will continue with a number of evidence sessions with senior EU figures in Brussels next week.
In order to gather evidence from as many relevant people as possible, the Sub-Committees will spend two days talking to officials, experts and advisers to a number of EU police and justice bodies and committees based in Brussels.
The Sub-Committees will be hearing from, among others, Rob Wainwright, Director of Europol, Michèle Coninsx, President of Eurojust and the Director Generals of the Justice and Home Affairs Directorates in the Commission.
Witnesses will be quizzed by the Sub-Committees on issues including:
- the effect on UK police and law enforcement agencies if the UK opts-out of the police and criminal justice measures, including Eurojust and Europol;
- the procedures that apply to the UK seeking to rejoin selected measures; and
- the feasibility of relying upon alternative legal arrangements to tackle cross-border crime in Europe.
The transcripts of the evidence sessions will be published on the inquiry’s website approximately 10 days after the visit.
EU Sub-Committee E - Justice, Institutions and Consumer Protection