Local Government and Transport Committee, 16 Jan 2007
Meeting date: Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Official Report
254KB pdf
European Commission Work Programme
The final item on our agenda is consideration of a further letter from the convener of the European and External Relations Committee in relation to the European Commission's work programme. The committee is seeking our views on which policy initiatives have the greatest potential impact in Scotland. Pages 8 to 12 of paper LGT/S2/07/01/5 highlight some of the issues that are most relevant to the Local Government and Transport Committee.
There are two questions. First, are there issues with which we could be involved before May? Secondly, are there issues on which we could make an input after May? Do members wish to put some time aside in the last few weeks of the session so that we can make an input on any of the issues that are raised in the clerk's paper?
Referring to the subjects that have been corralled under our committee's name in that paper, I think that, given the topicality and interest of the issue, the implications of the directive on public-private partnership concessions, which I note is scheduled to be adopted in October, should be looked into. It is not entirely clear to me from the summary in our paper, but the issue is clearly important, given the scale of the contracts concerned.
I have been advised by Martin Verity that we are talking about our recommendations for work to be carried out by the European and External Relations Committee rather than about work that we will conduct.
In that case, I recommend that the European and External Relations Committee examine that directive, even if we do not.
When I read the paper, I found the hierarchy of regulation and consultation quite interesting. This is the first time that I have seen it put so explicitly in terms of communications, green papers, white papers, directives, regulations and so on. Perhaps that goes back to your earlier comments, convener.
When it comes to having an input into the evolution of policy, it would seem to be important to get in at the communication and green paper stage. By the time we get to the directive stage, as important as that is, we have probably had it with respect to having an influence on what actually emerges. By that time, the provisions will have gone round the houses in the 27 member states, no doubt with all manner of compromises agreed and positions adopted, and the outcome will have become rather a foregone conclusion. To me, that suggests that we need to start at the beginning of the process, rather than at the end.
Absolutely. We will draft an appropriate letter to the convener of the European and External Relations Committee.
I thank members for their attendance.
Meeting closed at 16:17.