Official Report 259KB pdf
Ian Duncan is not with us today.
He is at the Justice Committee at the moment.
This week’s “Brussels Bulletin” is interesting. I immediately thought, before I said anything, that Ted Brocklebank would have some comments to make. Do colleagues have any queries, or is there anything that they would like to draw to our attention?
I have no query, but I declare a rural interest.
George Lyon is one of the members of the European Parliament with whom we hope to set up a videoconference link or whom we will invite to appear before the committee. I am sure that that will provide us with an opportunity to find out a bit more about how matters are progressing.
I am interested in the European citizens initiative—an issue that I have raised on numerous occasions in the context of the Lisbon treaty. It would be interesting if Ian Duncan could keep us updated on that. There is no controversy about it, but decisions need to be made about exactly how many signatures and member states are required.
Ian Duncan is keeping a watching brief on the issue. We will ask him to continue to report to the committee.
Yes. It would have been, and will be, useful to get Ian Duncan’s take on the politics of the issue. Given that Iceland is pitching for full European Union membership, it seems odd that it should ratchet up problems by unilaterally declaring that it will fish out as many pelagic fish as it wishes in its waters, following on from earlier action by the Faroe Islands. I wonder what is going on. I suspect that it is a negotiating tactic, but Ian Duncan could probably bring us up to speed on the issue.
When I read this section of the bulletin, it occurred to me that the Belgian ambassador will attend our next committee meeting. Given that Belgium currently holds the presidency, that may present us with an opportunity, as Belgium will be crucial to the negotiations on Iceland that are taking place at the moment. We could raise the issue with the ambassador at our next meeting, as well as keeping a watching brief on it.
We expect the ambassador to be accompanied by a representative of the Flanders Government, which is taking the lead on fishing policy, so someone who can answer questions on the issue will be here.
I draw members’ attention to page 6 of the bulletin, which discusses the innovation strategy. I notice that the European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science
I had marked the issue and am glad that you have raised it. Like you, I was going to suggest that we write to the minister to ask whether only the United Kingdom can take matters forward or whether individual countries in the UK, such as Scotland, can do so. As you said, we must keep an eye on the issue and encourage the Government to advertise the initiative or to speak to industries.
I refer members to the section on other news on page 6 of the bulletin, which mentions the invitation to tender for research into the sport sector’s economic role. My experience is that there is a real dearth of research into sports issues generally. It would be useful for us to track the initiative and to look into the issues to which it relates, given that the Lisbon treaty addresses issues relating to sport.
Absolutely. We should write to the Government on the item to see how it is promoting tenders from within Scotland.
Page 7 of the bulletin refers to money that has been left over from the European energy programme for recovery. A report proposing that the money be reallocated to renewable energy projects in urban areas will be discussed in October 2010. I suggest that we draw the minister’s attention to that proposal.
The committee is happy to agree to that. We note the contents of the bulletin and refer it to the appropriate subject committees.