Brussels jargon buster

A

AFSSA

French Food Safety Agency

ALDE

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe - a European Parliament political group in which the UK Lib Democrats sit

C

Co-decision

Co-decision is a procedure where Council and Parliament have equal influence on the adoption of a proposal. Already the standard process in veterinary policy, its use is set to increase

Common position

The position of the Council after its first examination of a proposal, which is sent back to the Parliament for a second reading

Conciliation

A process used to unblock a stalemate between the Council and the Parliament at the end of the second reading

Consultation

A procedure where the Parliament may only give an opinion on a proposal. Council is not obliged to take the EP opinion into account

COREPER

Permanent Representatives’ Committee - a two-part committee of Member State officials. Coreper prepares the position of Council on many food safety and veterinary issues, inter alia

CVO

Chief Veterinary Officer

D

Decision

A legislative instrument binding on those to whom it is addressed and does not require national implementing legislation

DG AGRI

Directorate General Agriculture - the Commission department responsible for agriculture

DG

Directorate General – a Commission department

DG SANCO

Directorate General Health and Consumer Protection - the Commission department responsible for most veterinary issues

Directive

Sets legislative objectives, with a time limit, for the Member States, but leaves them to decide how these objectives are to be translated into national law

E

EC (or Comm)

European Commission - the politically independent institution that represents and upholds the interests of the European Union. It proposes legislation, policies and programmes of action and it is responsible for implementing the decisions of Parliament and the Council

ECDC

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control - an EU agency providing a structured and systematic approach to the control of communicable diseases and other serious health threats

EFSA

European Food Safety Authority - based in Parma, Italy, EFSA provides independent scientific advice on existing and emerging food and feed safety risks

EFSA AHAW

EFSA’s Animal Health & Animal Welfare Scientific Panel

EFSA BIOHAZ

EFSA’s Biological Hazards Scientific Panel

EP

European Parliament Composed of 785 MEPs, the EP is the elected body to represent European citizens in the decision-making process

EP AGRI

European Parliament’s Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

EP ENVI

European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health & Food Safety Committee - handles most veterinary policy issues

EPP

European People’s Party - a political group in the EP of which the UK Conservatives are members

F

First / second reading

The European Parliament’s first or second examination of a proposal

FVE

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe - BVA is a member

FVO

Food and Veterinary Office - based in Dublin, its officers are responsible for checking that food safety and animal health legislation is correctly implemented in Member States

G

Greens/EFA

The Greens, European Free Alliance - an EP political group of which the UK Green Party and SNP are members

I

ID

Independence and Democracy Group - an EP political group which includes the UKIP

IFAH

International Federation for Animal Health - representing manufacturers of veterinary medicines, vaccines and other animal health products in Europe

L

Lisbon treaty

The Treaty of Lisbon entered into force on 1 December 2009. It amends the current EU and EC treaties, without replacing them and provides the Union with the legal framework and tools necessary to meet future challenges and to respond to citizens' demands.

M

MS

Member States

O

OIE

World Animal Health Organisation

P

PSE

Socialist group - a political group in the EP of which the UK’s Labour MEPs are members

Q

QMV

Qualified Majority Voting, used in Council and regulatory committee votes. A qualified majority is reached if a majority of member states, in some cases a two-thirds majority, approve and a minimum of 255 votes is cast in favour (73.9% of the total). In addition, a member state may ask for confirmation that the votes in favour represent at least 62% of the total population of the Union. If this is found not to be the case, the decision will not be adopted.

R

Recommendation and Opinion

Non-binding instruments

Regulation

Directly applicable and binding in all Member States without the need for any national implementing legislation

S

SCA

Special Committee on Agriculture - member State officials who prepare the position of the Agriculture Council on agricultural policy

SCFCAH

Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health - chaired by DG SANCO, this committee of Member State officials votes on implementing legislation in the veterinary field

SPS

Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures - an agreement within the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on how members can apply food safety and animal health measures

Strasbourg

Where many European Parliament plenary sessions are held to vote on reports drafted by EP committees

Subsidiarity

The principle that EU decisions must be taken as closely as possible to the citizen. The Union will not take action (except on matters for which it alone is responsible) unless EU action is more effective than action taken at national, regional or local level

T

Third country

A country which is not an EU Member State

U

UKREP

UK Permanent Representation to the EU