European Committee, 08 Oct 2002

Meeting date: Tuesday, October 8, 2002

Official Report 246KB pdf

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Convener's Report

As members will see, the convener's report contains a recommendation to encourage members who can attend the EMILE working group to do so. However, the clerks advise me that the meeting has been postponed and that no date has been set for a future meeting. The reason for postponement is that very few committee members could attend. We said from the outset that it would be difficult to meet the date, which had been changed from 19 September. I am pleased that the minister has accepted our suggestion that the meeting should be postponed and we will inform members of the new date when we receive it.

Secondly, I ask the committee to note the planned dates for our meeting with the Greek ambassador to hear his country's priorities for the presidency of the European Council. The likely dates are 5 December or 19 December, and the meeting will probably take place in Edinburgh. Colleagues should note that information provisionally in their diaries; we will get back to you as soon as we know more.

Members should also note that a meeting with the chairs of the European committees of Catalonia and Flanders will take place on 7 November.

At what time is the meeting?

I do not know. We have not yet finalised the programme, but I think that it will happen some time in the morning. Am I correct?

We are hoping that the meeting will take place around 10 o'clock in the morning and that it will last perhaps until midday. It would be nice if the visiting representatives were able to observe some parliamentary proceedings such as question time and First Minister's question time. My colleague Nick Hawthorne is putting together a draft programme, which we hope to send to members in the next day or so and which will give the timings of various activities.

Colleagues will agree that this is an interesting development in the committee's work. I certainly look forward to welcoming to Scotland representatives from Catalonia and Flanders.

Next, I am happy to inform the committee that Jon Jordan has agreed to work with us as adviser on the inquiry into European employment strategy.

Hallelujah! We have an adviser. Do we get a prize?

Members are obviously pleased about that. I look forward to seeing Jon Jordan at the next meeting. We can task the clerk with working with the adviser and to begin activities on the inquiry.

Finally, I ask members to note the useful information on external affairs from the Parliament's clerk and the external liaison unit.