European Union (Amendment) Bill

I recall that I made a declaration of interest when we began Committee, many years ago, it seems. We come now to the proposed inclusion in the treaty of categories and areas of Union competence, and I certainly do not support the amendment to exclude that from the Bill. Surely it is right, and overdue, to make the competences clear in the treaty. I must say that, over a long career, I have never read a plain sentence that opponents of the treaty have found clear. I have found the competences very clear and some have always maintained that they are not. These elements in the Bill are perfectly clear and I think that the actions taken by member states and the European institutions over a long period—at least 35 years, and before our membership—have made them clear. If, 20 years ago, I had been asked to write the exclusive, shared and supporting competences of the Union I would have written them in terms identical with those in the treaty, other than the addition of one or two points that I understand, such as energy and so on. Over 20 years, they are exactly what I have understood to be the shared and exclusive competences and supporting actions of the European Union. Those who have read the innumerable booklets, pamphlets, books and other things written about the European Union would have found them there very many times. We are now putting them in the treaty because there is a spirit of greater transparency, and I think it is reasonable to put them in for that purpose. We see a small number of exclusive competences, and most people are very surprised by that. There are a larger number of genuine shared competences, but in some of the areas the Community acts—and we want it to act—so its role is bigger, and there are a large number of areas where the Union can support member states’ national action. That is the pattern we have been working on throughout our membership of the Union. If it has not been fully understood before, perhaps it is a good thing if we put it in the treaty now.