European and External Relations Committee, 22 Feb 2005

Meeting date: Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Official Report 202KB pdf

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Sift

Item 3 is the sift, which is pretty much dominated by the policy agenda of the Commission; certainly, the first few documents are. The first document is on the strategic objectives for 2005-09, and the second is on the Lisbon strategy which will, as has been mentioned, be central to the priorities of the new Commission. We expect to hear a great deal more about that when we are in Brussels next week. The issues apply to a wide range of committees because—without wishing to give credence to Mr Gallie's argument—most subject committees will be affected by the Commission's priorities. The Lisbon agenda is far reaching in relation to economic and social policy, so we should be aware of it and refer the documents to other parliamentary committees.

The remaining papers affect mainly enterprise, and we have referred them to the Enterprise and Culture Committee for its consideration.

Are there any points on the sift?

I would like to say just that the broad economic policy guidelines that Mr Gallie referred to are included in the sift. I am sure that he will want to scrutinise them in great detail.

It is clear that that will be the focus of the Commission's work programme.

On reflection, there is one area of the Commission's economic programme that causes me some concern. I am not sure where in the papers we can find it, but I note that the Commission intends to provide for European environmental taxation on aviation fuel. If that proposal is referred to in the legislative proposals that come before us, I will be interested to find out about the effect that it will have.

We will ask the clerks to find out when that proposal will appear in our schedule.

As we have discussed on previous occasions, I am keen that the committee should have at the heart of its scrutiny role a much greater focus on policies and legislative proposals that are in the think zone rather than in the implementation zone. The parliamentary infrastructure is now being put in place to support that objective. The issue that Phil Gallie highlighted is possibly a good example of a proposal that will have serious domestic implications, which concerned members would want to identify early and assess accordingly.