There are no Irish MEPs on the “Special Committee on Tax Rulings and other measures similar in its nature or effect” which was established last month by the European Parliament.

The European Parliament voted on Thursday 12 February to set up a special parliamentary committee to look into EU member states’ “tax rulings and other measures similar in nature or effect” and make recommendations for the future. The committee will have 45 members and is established for an initial period of six months. While such committees are empowered to look at EU processes, their recommendations are not binding.

We gather that under the Parliament’s rules of procedure, a number of permanent substitutes for each committee are appointed who are entitled to attend and speak at committee meetings and, if the full member is absent, to take part in the vote. Irish substitute members include Brian Hayes MEP and Marian Harkin MEP.