The National Council of the Slovak Republic is involved in dealing with EU affairs in such a way that it can control and influence the Government's actions in the EU institutions. The legal scope for this competence is determined by the Constitutional Law on the cooperation between the National Council of the Slovak Republic and the Government of the Slovak Republic in the affairs concerning the European Union. The National Council has power to approve a mandate for the Government concerning the proposals of legally binding acts and other acts of the European Communities and the European Union. This mandate shall be binding for a member of the Government. He or she may divert from it only in an inevitable instance and with due consideration for the interest of the Slovak Republic. The National Council may authorise by law its committee to exercise these competencies. The Committee on European Affairs was established in April 2004. Its main task is to monitor closely the decision-making process in the European Union and the activities of the Slovak government in the different Council meetings.