Official Report 478KB pdf
Welcome back. Item 2 is consideration of our “Brussels Bulletin”. Members have a copy in front of them. Are there any questions, queries or requests for clarification?
The section on the state of the energy union refers to the UK country report. The comment on that is a wee bit ironic:
“In addition to doubts over the UK’s ability to deliver on renewables, the country report also notes modest UK support for Carbon Capture and Storage research programmes.”
Obviously, that has been overtaken by last week’s events, but I just wanted to flag up the issue.
I was also quite interested in the next section, on energy infrastructure, and the comment on the upgrade to the Scotland to Northern Ireland pipelines.
I want to highlight the section on work-life balance, which is on page 9, in the chapter on employment, skills and education. The European Commission is carrying out a consultation. Are we able to promote that in any shape or form and encourage people to get involved, through Twitter, for example?
There is a chapter on equal opportunities on page 10. I just want to ensure that, as you would normally do, convener, you will make the Equal Opportunities Committee, as well as other committees, aware of what is in the bulletin.
Excellent. We can look at options for raising awareness of the consultation. If there are specific topics in the “Brussels Bulletin” that we think should be brought to the attention of individual committees, we would do that, so I agree with the comments about the Equal Opportunities Committee.
On page 5, at the end of the chapter on economy, energy and enterprise, it says:
“In parallel to the TTIP negotiations, the European Commission will start work, together with other countries, on setting up a permanent International Investment Court.”
Presumably “other countries” means all the EU countries. It is terribly—
We can check. If the work is in parallel to TTIP, the reference could be to countries outwith the EU. Maybe we should get more detail on that.
I would like to see a bit more detail on that, and on the point of the work. In terms of detail, the bulletin is not what it used to be.
We can get more detail on that topic. Does anyone else have any comments?
Do you remember some meetings ago the desperate reports that we had about the refugee crisis in Europe, convener? We asked to be kept informed on how that was progressing. We often lose sight of matters once they leave the committee. Is there any way we can get an update on the situation and what is happening in the Mediterranean in particular? There were quite a few desperate accounts from people around the table about the circumstances in which people had found themselves. Our hope was that the European Union would do more.
The committee agreed to write to a number of Government levels about the issue. We have had a response from Humza Yousaf, the Minister for Europe and International Development at the Scottish Government, which was emailed out last week. I understand from the clerk that we now have all the other responses. We can add the matter as an agenda item for a follow-on meeting.
Great.
We will bring the topic back to the forefront.
I have one other matter to raise: migration. I have read quite a lot—mostly in the tabloid papers, it must be said—about EU discussions with Turkey. I note that there is a reference in the bulletin to a summit on 29 November. Can we ensure that the next bulletin clearly outlines what has been agreed between the EU and Turkey, so that we do not have to rely on some fairly hysterical stuff in the tabloids?
I agree. I am very interested in what progress is made on the EU’s relationship with Turkey, so I am keen to hear about that, too.
There are no further comments from members. I am happy to make sure that the “Brussels Bulletin” goes to our other committees, specifically to raise the profile of the issues that we have highlighted. That includes the issues that Roderick Campbell raised as well as those raised on equal opportunities. The Education and Culture Committee should be made aware of the consultation on work-life balance, too. Are members happy with that approach?
Members indicated agreement.
Thank you. That concludes today’s meeting. Our next meeting is in two weeks’ time, on 17 December. We will see you all then.
Meeting closed at 11:06.Previous
European Union Reform and Referendum