Official Report 483KB pdf
Welcome back to the meeting.
Agenda item 3 is the “Brussels Bulletin”. Copies of the bulletin are in members’ papers. Are there any questions or clarifications?
Obviously, things have moved on in relation to the transatlantic trade and investment partnership. I am not quite sure why the plenary session did not take place, although I heard that there was a huge number of amendments. TTIP is therefore work in progress.
I believe that that session has been postponed until September.
I refer to the health and sport item on the second last page of the bulletin. Members will notice that the European Commission decided not to update the alcohol strategy, which led to 20 organisations resigning from the European Union alcohol and health forum. I would like to find out a wee bit more about what happened there. It sounds as if something fairly serious has happened, and I think that it would be of concern to committee members and the Scottish Parliament.
On the energy union, I see that Maroš Šefcovic is due in the United Kingdom on 13 July. I do not know whether anyone can find out whether he proposes to have any discussions with any member of the Scottish Government during that visit.
As there are no more comments or questions, are members happy to share the “Brussels Bulletin” with other relevant committees? Maybe we could specifically highlight the point that has been raised on the alcohol issue to the Health and Sport Committee and the point that has been raised on energy to the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee.
Members indicated agreement.
Does the “Brussels Bulletin” go to all the committees?
Yes.
Do we ever get any feedback?
I do not think so, although the rapporteurs on the committees usually take forward the issues. Some of those rapporteurs are members of this committee.
Are you volunteering, Jamie?
Volunteering for what, Hanzala?
To take messages and bring messages—
From other committees? No. I just wondered whether anything of interest had come back.
Convener, is it fair to say that, if a committee finds something of interest, it will normally pursue the matter itself?
Committees have done so. When we are updating the European strategy and we get feedback from all the committees, we can see the areas that they have picked up and done work on.
Okay. Thank you very much.
We agreed to take agenda item 4 in private.
11:05 Meeting continued in private until 11:25.
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