Research Briefing
The European External Action Service
This Note looks at the European External Action Service established by the Treaty of Lisbon in December 2009 and provides links to relevant documentation.
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Research Briefing
Amending the EU Treaty: the European Stability Mechanism
On 17 December 2010 the European Council agreed to establish a permanent financial crisis mechanism called the "European Stability Mechanism" (ESM) by means of an amendment to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This Note looks at the likely ratification path in the UK of the proposed amendment to Article 136 TFEU, as set out in the draft European Council decision of 17 December 2010.
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Research Briefing
European Union Bill (HC Bill 106 2010-11)
This Bill strengthens the provisions of the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008 with explicit procedures for agreeing to or ratifying certain EU decisions or treaty changes, including provisions for referendums on changes that would transfer powers from the UK to the EU.
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Research Briefing
UK Public Opinion on the European Union
This Note provides links to a selection of opinion polls showing UK views on different aspects of our membership of the European Union.
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Research Briefing
EU Legislation
This Note considers the different types of EU legislative instruments and their implementation requirements. It also gives figures for EU laws adopted since 1980 and repealed since 1997, as well as an estimate of the proportion of UK secondary legislation made under the ECA to implement EU obligations.
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Research Briefing
European Parliament Members’ expenses and allowances
This Note looks at the background to recent reform of the European Parliament expenses and allowances system. It provides information on the current expenses regime, with links to political party pledges and declarations of interest.
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Research Briefing
Taking a complaint to the Court of Justice of the European Union
This Note sets out how individuals who believe they are victims of a government's failure to respect an EU obligation, or that they have been negatively affected by an EU act or a failure to act, can seek judicial and non-judicial remedies.
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Research Briefing
Implementing the Lisbon Treaty
This Note looks at how the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force on 1 December 2009, is being implemented. It also considers how the UK might scrutinise the new procedures contained in the Treaty.
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Research Briefing
Sources of International Social Statistics
International sources of social statistics. By Kathryn Keith. SN/SG/3140.
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Research Briefing
The Lisbon Treaty: choosing a High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
This Note looks at the role of the new High Representative for EU foreign affairs and security policy, the method of appointment and possible candidates for the job. It does not consider the new European External Action Service.
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Research Briefing
The Lisbon Treaty: choosing a President of the European Council
Now that all 27 Member States have ratified the Lisbon Treaty, the Swedish EU Presidency is holding an extraordinary meeting on 19 November 2009 to decide on the post-holders for the three new top jobs created by the Treaty. This Note looks at one of these posts - that of President of the European Council.
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Research Briefing
The Lisbon Treaty: ratification by the Czech Republic
This Note looks at the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by the Czech Republic.
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Research Briefing
The 2009 Swedish Presidency of the EU
This Note looks at the Swedish European Union Presidency programme, its priorities and some of the issues and events that have dominated the first half of the Presidency. It also considers matters that are likely to occupy the Presidency until the end of 2009.
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Research Briefing
European Parliament Elections 2009
Elections to the European Parliament were held across the 27 states of the European Union between 4 and 7 June 2009. The UK elections were held concurrently with the county council elections in England on 4 June. The UK now has 72 MEPs, down from 78 at the last election, distributed between 12 regions. The Conservatives won 25 seats, both UKIP and Labour 13 and the Liberal Democrats 11. The Green Party held their two seats, while the BNP won their first two seats in the European parliament. Labour lost five seats compared with the comparative pre-election position. The Conservatives won the popular vote overall, and every region in Great Britain except the North East, where Labour won, and Scotland, where the SNP won. UKIP won more votes than Labour. UK turnout was 34.5%. Across Europe, centre-right parties, whether in power or opposition, tended to perform better than those on the centre-left. The exact political balance of the new Parliament depends on the formation of Groups. The UK was not alone in seeing gains for far-right and nationalistic parties. Turnout across the EU was 43%. It was particularly low in some of the newer Member States. Part 1 of this paper presents the full results of the UK elections, including regional analysis and local-level data. Part 2 presents summary results of the results across the EU, together with country-level summaries based on data from official national sources.
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Research Briefing
Electoral performance of the British National Party in the UK
This note provides data on the electoral performance of the UK's British National Party (BNP) in local and parliamentary elections. This note has been updated to include results from the local elections held in England on 1 May 2008. It also comments upon results from various elections up to 2006, as well as overall results from the 2007 and 2008 local elections.
Total results (page 15 of 18)