This Bill enables the UK to ratify an amendment to Article 136 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
European Union (Approval of Treaty Amendment Decision) Bill (288 KB , PDF)
This Bill enables the UK to ratify an amendment to Article 136 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The amendment will give legal basis to the creation of a permanent European Stability Mechanism (ESM). The ESM itself is established in a separate treaty between the 17 eurozone Member States. It will provide financial assistance to eurozone States, up to a limit of €500bn, in order to safeguard the economic stability of the eurozone. Because the UK is not participating in the ESM, and Article 136 applies to eurozone States only, the Government has stated that the change should not trigger a national referendum under the European Union Act 2011.
European Union (Approval of Treaty Amendment Decision) Bill (288 KB , PDF)
There are currently 48 operational Enterprise Zones in England. Similar policies have been adopted by the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Businesses in these small areas will benefit from tax and planning concessions and superfast broadband.
Data and latest developments on interest rates and quantitative easing policy from the UK (Bank of England), Eurozone (European Central Bank) and the US (Federal Reserve).
As states sanction Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, this briefing sets out the arguments around seizing another state's assets, and explains the intensifying debate on how international law affects sanctions.
