Research Briefing
This Private Member’s Bill was introduced to the Commons on 2 July 2014 and requires the holding of a referendum on the UK’s continued membership of the European Union (EU) before the end of 2017. This Paper has been prepared as a guide in advance of the second reading on Friday 17 October.
Research Briefing
The EU has just appointed four new institutional leaders: the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Council and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. This Note looks at the background to the four recent appointments.
Research Briefing
The conflict in Ukraine is in danger of becoming a "frozen conflict" with no clear peace agreement in sight.
Research Briefing
Details of the recent Government reshuffle in France.
Research Briefing
A report is doing the rounds via Twitter and various blogs (e.g. Inquiringminds and pjcjournal) about changes in the European Union in November 2014 that will mean the end of British sovereignty. They also claim that the Prime Minister’s promise to hold an in/out referendum by 2017 is spurious because it would be “illegal” under
Research Briefing
The 2014 NATO Summit will be in Newport, Wales, in September.
Research Briefing
Domestic legislation provides that both Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit cannot normally be paid in respect of children resident abroad. However, under provisions in EU law on social security coordination within the European Economic Area (EEA), Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit may be payable to EEA migrants in the United Kingdom in respect of their dependent children resident in another Member State.
Research Briefing
The Catalan Government hopes to hold a "consultation" on Catalan independence on 9 November 2014., but the Spanish Government hopes to prevent it from going ahead. This note provides an overview of the debate.
Research Briefing
A brief profile of the far-right Front National (FN), led by Marine Le Pen, which obtained 24.9% of the vote in France in the recent European elections. This result was described as a “political earthquake.”
Research Briefing
Ukraine is due to sign its agreement with the EU on 27 June; Russia's reaction is awaited
Research Briefing
Will David Cameron succeed in blocking the nomination of Jean-Claude Juncker for European Commission President? Juncker has the support of most Member State governments but the UK Prime Minister thinks he is too integrationist and would not implement necessary reforms.
Research Briefing
A common complaint from the UK press is that the EU accounts have not been “signed off” (for example, see articles from the Daily Mail, the Telegraph and the BBC). In fact, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) has signed off the accounts for each year up to 2012 – although it has never given a
Research Briefing
The European Union (Referendum) Bill could be presented for Royal Assent under the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 if it is passed by the House of Commons and rejected again by the House of Lords.
Total results (page 50 of 67)