91997E3353

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3353/97 by Caroline Jackson (PPE) to the Commission (15 October 1997)

Subject: Amsterdam Treaty: Declaration on the quality of the drafting of EU legislation

1. What action does the Commission propose to take to lay down guidelines on the quality of drafting of Community legislation, as it was invited to do by the European Council meeting in Amsterdam?

2. What appropriate organizational measures does the Commission plan to take to ensure that the guidelines are applied?

3. Will its priorities include a review of staff training, the allocation of specific responsibilities to staff in each section to monitor output for plain language, and an examination of the work of the Commission's legal service?

4. When does the Commission expect to complete its initiatives on the quality of drafting of Community legislation, and will it produce a report for the Council and European Parliament on the outcome?

Answer given by Mr Santer on behalf of the Commission (5 November 1997)

1. The Commission would draw the Honourable Member's attention to the fact that Declaration 39 on the quality of the drafting of Community legislation, annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty, requests Parliament, the Council and the Commission 'to establish by common accord guidelines for improving the quality of the drafting of Community legislation.'

2. - 4. The reply to these questions will depend on the work referred to above. The Commission recalls that it has already taken a number of measures to improve the quality of legislation in the broad sense. These measures are referred to in the annual report on Better law-making ((Doc. CSE(96) 6007. )). The 1997 report will appear in the next few weeks.