European Committee, 23 Apr 2002

Meeting date: Tuesday, April 23, 2002

Official Report 213KB pdf

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Videoconference (Flemish and Catalan Parliaments)

Agenda item 7 is on co-operation with the European committees of the Catalan and Flemish Parliaments. Members will recall that we have made efforts to develop closer links with those European committees and that we have discussed linking up with other committees of those Parliaments. We propose a three-way videoconference, which the clerks have arranged for the afternoon of 30 April, and I hope that we will have a follow-up meeting with the chairs of those committees. We had hoped that that would take place on 9 May, but that has proved impossible. We are trying to arrange such a meeting for before the summer recess.

Members are welcome to attend the videoconference. I hope that it will be the beginning of links to other regional Parliaments, which will give us an opportunity for closer liaison and for learning about and sharing good practice. As a new Parliament, we have a lot to contribute. We have gone down the road of transparency, accountability and new technology. Some of the other Parliaments are interested to learn from us about those practices. Equally, as a new Parliament, we can learn from other Parliaments. Developing such partnerships will be useful and I hope that the videoconference will take that a step further forward.

Do members have any comments on the paper? Are we happy to agree to it?

Members indicated agreement.