The Eurojust Regulation: Should the UK opt in?

This report considers the question whether the UK should opt in to the negotiation of the proposed Regulation reforming Eurojust.

The proposal was published in July and seeks to reform Eurojust's governance and management, the nature of its powers and the provision for its accountability to the European Parliament and national Parliaments. It was brought forward by the Commission alongside the proposal to create a new European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). Both proposals include provisions for merging the two bodies.

Alongside this report the Committee has published an additional report (HL 65) inviting the House to issue a Reasoned Opinion challenging the proposed EPPO on the grounds of subsidiarity. Under the EU Treaties the UK is entitled to opt-in to the negotiation of Justice and Home Affairs legislation such as this proposed Regulation reforming Eurojust.

The UK Government has raised a number of concerns with the proposal and it is acknowledged that the interweaving of the two bodies complicates the question of whether the UK should opt-in to the negotiation, but nonetheless it is recommend that the Government should, in order to improve the Regulation.

UK: House of Lords: Select Committee on the European Union: 4th Report (2013-14)HL 66 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldselect/ldeucom/66/66.pdf

UK: House of Lords: Select Committee on the European Union: 3rd Report (2013-14)HL 65 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldselect/ldeucom/65/65.pdf

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