Westminster must be given more powers to scrutinise EU legislation, a committee of peers has warned

In a report published on Wednesday, the Lords EU select committee calls on national parliaments to do more to open up Europe to democratic scrutiny.

Critics claim that too much European legislation is decided in poorly publicised meetings of EU ministers or comes from the Brussels bureaucracy.

And many believe that as the EU grows and develops its own constitution European law-making is set to increase in key areas such as justice and home affairs.

David Blunkett's recent decision to commit the UK to the European arrest warrant before parliamentary approval sparked anger and concern amongst MPs and peers.

Many other EU directives enter UK law via the relatively unscrutinised mechanism of statutory instruments and are not debated in either the Lords or Commons chambers.

"EU decision making needs to be more open," says the Lords EU select committee.

"The government should do more to explain to parliament its views on EU law and in particular how EU law is going to be implemented."

"The UK parliament should have more powers to control EU legislation and the secondary legislation which implements it in the UK."

Committee chairman, Lord Grenfell, argues the issue is of "fundamental importance" for the future of European democracy.

"Many European citizens feel disconnected from those who govern the European Union," he said.

"How those who govern us at EU level are scrutinised and held to account for their actions is of fundamental importance."