The European Scrutiny Committee is a cross-party select committee, with 16 members who are nominated by the Committee of Selection. If you're interested in serving on the Committee, you should consult your whips. The Chair is elected by the Committee members.
The Committee's main role is to assess all EU documents (including draft legislation and policy proposals) placed before Parliament by the Government. The Government provides an explanatory memorandum to accompany each document. The Committee can also consider the views of organisations and individuals outside Parliament.
The Committee looks at the significance of the document and decides whether it needs further scrutiny. The Committee reports all documents that are politically or legally important.
Political importance may be about the sensitivity of the subject, the financial implications, or the likely impact on the UK. Legal importance may be about a doubtful legal basis, difficulties of drafting, or the impact on existing law.
The European Scrutiny Committee meets once a week (usually on Wednesday) and publishes a report with its decision regarding EU documents every other week (usually on Tuesday). You can find the reports on the Committee's website or in hard copy from the Vote Office.
The Committee is also responsible for:
- scrutinising ministerial actions and decisions at meetings in joint UK/EU fora, such as the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement Partnership Council
- being a source of analysis and information on EU issues for MPs
- monitoring and holding inquiries into legal, procedural or institutional developments regarding the UK’s new relationship with the EU (the Committee can require individuals, including minister, to give evidence)
- working with the House of Lords European Affairs Committee (and its sub-committee on the Windsor Framework), which performs similar functions in the House of Lords.
The staff of the Committee have produced a booklet for MPs, "The European Scrutiny System in the House of Commons". You can contact the Committee for a copy.