Research Briefing
Tensions have risen alarmingly in the Korean peninsula during the course of 2017. North Korea appears to be making faster progress towards having a nuclear weapons system that can reach the US than many observers expected. What have been the responses of the US, China, South Korea and Japan to developments since the beginning of this year?
Debate Pack
This page has been prepared for the debate in Westminster Hall on Wednesday 6 September 2017 from 2.30pm to 4.00pm on the ‘International Day of Democracy’. The debate has been initiated by Stuart C. McDonald MP.
Research Briefing
What happened at the second round of Brexit negotiations from 17 to 20 July 2017 and what have we learnt? This first phase of the negotiations aims to reach agreement on citizens' rights, the financial settlement and the border between Ireland the Northern Ireland, as well as other separation issues, such as Euratom, EU external agreements and dispute resolution. But there was little evidence of agreement on any of these, and the UK Government has been asked for more clarification at the next round. A lot is at stake, because if sufficient progress isn't made by October, the negotiations will not move on to future relations, an EU-UK trade agreement or transitional arrangements.
Research Briefing
This Commons Library briefing gives a short introduction to the 47-member Council of Europe, which is a human rights and democracy organisation, entirely separate from the EU. Its best-known products are the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights that oversees how the Convention is implemented.
Debate Pack
This Debate Pack has been prepared for the general debate on 'Exiting the European Union and sanctions', to be held in the main chamber on Wednesday 19 July 2017
Research Briefing
What has the UK Government said about its strategy for the Brexit negotiations? The Prime Minister and the Brexit Secretary have set out their views in speeches and white papers, and now the EU institutions have set out theirs. They often coincide, but there are areas that could be difficult to resolve. This paper summarises the starting points of the UK and the EU institutions at the beginning of the Article 50 process.
Research Briefing
What are EU agencies and what do they do? Will the UK be able to participate in their activities after Brexit? And what will happen to the two that are based in the UK? This paper looks at the roles and functions of EU agencies, the issues surrounding the two UK-based agencies, and whether there are options for continued UK participation after Brexit.
Research Briefing
A short preview of the NATO summit in Brussels in May 2017 from the House of Commons Library.
Research Briefing
What are EU directives and what will happen to them when the UK leaves the EU? This paper looks at EU directives in force and how they are implemented in the UK. This will give some idea of the task ahead for UK legislators.
Research Briefing
In May 2017 the UK will have its third regular human rights review by a group of other UN States, who will make recommendations under the UN’s ‘Universal Periodic Review’ (UPR) process. This Commons Library briefing paper provides a brief overview.
Research Briefing
This House of Commons Library briefing paper looks at recent developments in The Occupied Palestinian Territories (March 2017).
Debate Pack
The Petitions Committee have scheduled a debate in Westminster Hall on Monday 6 February 2017 at 4.30pm on the motion “That this House has considered e-petition 165905 relating to the domestic ivory market in the UK”. Luke Hall MP, a member of the Petitions Committee, will lead the debate. Petition to Parliament and Government Response from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs): https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/165905
Research Briefing
How much information does the Government give Parliament about its position in advance of treaty negotiations? Is it bound to provide Parliament with information on its 'red lines' and strategies? This note looks at some past examples of White and Green Papers ahead of treaty negotiations.
Research Briefing
This Commons Library briefing paper looks at the process of withdrawing from the EU under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. There could be a complex and difficult negotiation lasting two years or more, or the UK could leave without settling its exit terms or its future relationship with the EU.
Research Briefing
The EU has over 1,000 external agreements with other countries or organisations, many of which the individual Member States, as well as the EU, have ratified. Many of them concern trade but they cover a range of policy areas and it is not clear what Brexit will mean for the UK's participation in these agreements.
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