European Committee, 11 Sep 2001

Meeting date: Tuesday, September 11, 2001

Official Report 185KB pdf

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Convener's Report

The convener's report has two items. Members should have a draft report, produced by the clerk, on the state of preparation for the euro in Scotland. John Home Robertson has given the clerking team some comments. I urge anyone else who has comments to make them. That will help us to prepare a final draft. I would like to try to have the report ready by the beginning of October, as that would be three months before the euro is introduced. If members have comments, they should get them to the clerking team as soon as possible.

Members will see the First Minister's positive response to our letter on pre- and post-Council notification and reporting. We need to keep reminding the Executive about that, because there have been a couple of oversights. That also picks up on some of the broader points that Lloyd Quinan has made about contacts with other EU regions and member states. I suggest that we ask Stephen Imrie and the rest of the clerking team to discuss with Executive officials possible procedures, which the committee could consider. I am not sure whether it would be helpful to leave the system informal. I would rather have terms of reference. Is that suggestion agreed to?

Members indicated agreement.

That will be important for direct connections with the EU, its member states and acceding states and for the Executive's development of its external affairs approach. One arrangement could become the model for the other, which would be useful for the committee.

We will obtain views from members and try to have that influence brought to negotiations.