Dette til trods for bestemmelserne i Maastricht-traktatens artikel K6 om, at EU-ministrene regelmæssigt skal konsultere Parlamentet om den overordnede udvikling inden for retlige og indre anliggender og sikre, at dets synspunkter tages i betragtning på passende vis.
This was in spite of the provisions in Article K6 of the Maastricht Treaty that EU ministers regularly consult Parliament on the principal developments in justice and home affairs and ensure its views are "duly taken into consideration" .