Assess the Impact of Membership of the European Union on the Uk Government?
Edward Heath signed the Treaty of Rome in 1972 to officially join the EU, this decision has affected almost every aspect of the British political system. Laws enacted by the EU are directly applicable to the UK, the British Parliament can’t pass laws in areas where Community Law already exists and British courts must accept and enforce decisions made by the ECJ.
One impact of membership of the EU is the proportion of our laws, rules and regulations that now come from the councils of the EU. The estimates of how much of our laws come from the EU vary wildly from under 10 per cent to more than 80 per cent and the EU Commission claims it has diminished in recent years now that the single market has become embedded. However 72 per cent of the cost of regulation over the last ten years is EU related. According to research by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, there are currently 16,980 EU acts in force and between 1998 and 2007 there was a net gain of 9,415 EU laws. In 2007, 3,010 EU laws became UK law, while only 993 EU regulations were repealed, a net gain of 2,017 extra laws. Also, The TPA estimated that since 1997, Whitehall has added at least 7,700 pages of UK Statutory Instruments to enact directives passed by the EU. This means that the EU now has huge regulatory powers and in terms of relative impact its powers over regulation exceed that of the UK government.
EU membership has had a significant impact upon the work of government. The prime minister is regularly involved in European Council or Summit meetings with other EU leaders. Members of cabinet take part in monthly Council of Ministers meetings. For example, Margaret Beckett, the minister that had responsibility for agricultural issues, via Defra, represented the UK on the Agricultural Council. The importance of the EU created a need to establish permanent UK representation in Brussels to assist with the monitoring and formulation of EU law. These civil servants work closely with their colleagues back in London
One impact of membership of the EU is the proportion of our laws, rules and regulations that now come from the councils of the EU. The estimates of how much of our laws come from the EU vary wildly from under 10 per cent to more than 80 per cent and the EU Commission claims it has diminished in recent years now that the single market has become embedded. However 72 per cent of the cost of regulation over the last ten years is EU related. According to research by the TaxPayers’ Alliance, there are currently 16,980 EU acts in force and between 1998 and 2007 there was a net gain of 9,415 EU laws. In 2007, 3,010 EU laws became UK law, while only 993 EU regulations were repealed, a net gain of 2,017 extra laws. Also, The TPA estimated that since 1997, Whitehall has added at least 7,700 pages of UK Statutory Instruments to enact directives passed by the EU. This means that the EU now has huge regulatory powers and in terms of relative impact its powers over regulation exceed that of the UK government.
EU membership has had a significant impact upon the work of government. The prime minister is regularly involved in European Council or Summit meetings with other EU leaders. Members of cabinet take part in monthly Council of Ministers meetings. For example, Margaret Beckett, the minister that had responsibility for agricultural issues, via Defra, represented the UK on the Agricultural Council. The importance of the EU created a need to establish permanent UK representation in Brussels to assist with the monitoring and formulation of EU law. These civil servants work closely with their colleagues back in London