Scrutiny
The next item on the agenda is scrutiny of documents.
Page 1 of the sift note shows the recommendations for priority scrutiny. We should add to that list document SP 1842, "Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1259/1999 establishing common rules for direct support schemes under the common agricultural policy". We may wish to ask the Executive to clarify a number of issues highlighted in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food explanatory memorandum, particularly the impact of the proposals in Scotland and whether payments under the scheme would be subject to modulation. It may also be helpful to have clarification on the margin of discretion left to the Commission. In light of the reservations expressed in the memorandum, we should also ask whether the scheme will reduce administrative burdens for the Administration and/or farmers. Does the committee agree to give priority scrutiny to that document?
Members indicated agreement.
Who are we getting the extra information from? Is it the Executive?
Yes.
The Executive has done its own thing for Scotland, which is controversial in some areas.
Do members have any other comments on the list for priority scrutiny? We should note the reference to document SP 2001.
I was wondering about workers' rights.
Absolutely. Dennis Canavan has raised the issue with me. We put out a press release saying that it would be helpful to have a look at some of the issues relating to workers' rights. The closure of the Motorola plant at Bathgate has thrown into stark relief the issue of workers' rights in this country in comparison with workers' rights in the rest of Europe. We are suggesting that we look at the draft European directive establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the European Community. With the committee's agreement, I will put that issue on the agenda for a future meeting.
It is important that we put the issue on the agenda for a meeting as soon as possible, as the directives are relevant to the situation at Motorola and to employment rights in general. Although employment legislation is a matter reserved to Westminster, the European Committee has a responsibility to monitor and scrutinise EU legislation as it applies to Scotland. As you rightly say, convener, workers in other parts of the EU seem to have more rights in relation to consultation than workers do in Scotland, as has been highlighted by the problems at Motorola.
Before Elizabeth Holt came to the Commission office in Edinburgh, she worked in the directorate with responsibility for social policy and employment policy. She has detailed knowledge of the issue, I believe, so it might be worth approaching her.
Thank you. That is helpful.
The recommendation is, then, that the following documents be given priority scrutiny:
SP 1842 (EC Ref No 1475/00 COM(2000) 841 final)
SP 1919 (EC Ref No 5657/01 COM(2000) 839 final)
SP 1942 (EC Ref No 5489/01 COM(2000) 894 final)
SP 2001 (EC Ref No 5884/01 COM(2001) 62 final)
SP 2035 (EC Ref No 6143/01 COM(2001) 68 final)
SP 2100 (EC Ref No 7253/01 COM(2001) 130 final)
Is that recommendation agreed to?
Members indicated agreement.
There are no documents to be formally referred to other committees.
Page 3 of the scrutiny note lists the documents on which we await information. The recommendation is that consideration of the following documents be deferred:
SP 2003 (EC Ref No 5851/01 COM(2001) 37 final)
SP 2088 (EC Ref No Brussels 13/3/2001 COM(2001) 139 final)
SP 2098 (EC Ref No 6921/01 COM(2001) 94 final)
SP 2099 (EC Ref No 6781/01 COM(2001) 98 final)
SP 2121 (EC Ref No 6906/01 SEC(2000) 382)
SP 2122 (EC Ref No 6905/01 COM(2001) 119 final)
SP 2123 (EC Ref No 6921/01 COR1)
Is that recommendation agreed to?
Members indicated agreement.
Pages 4 and 5 list the documents on which the recommendation is that we take no further action but copy them to other committees for their interest only. Those documents are:
SP 1912 (EC Ref No 5268/01 COPEN 2 COMIX 30)
SP 1986 (EC Ref No 6248/01 ADD1 COM(2001) 79 final Vol II)
SP 2018 (EC Ref No 6060/01 COPEN 4)
SP 2002 (EC Ref No 5876/01 COM(2001) 28 final)
SP 2005 (EC Ref No 5771/01 COM(2001) 31 final)
SP 2064 (EC Ref No 6671/01 COM(2001) 88 final)
SP 2080 (EC Ref No 6997/01 ECOFIN 73)
SP 2082 (EC Ref No 7001/01 ECOFIN 77)
SP 2085 (EC Ref No ECOFIN/176/04-EN Brussels 7/3/01)
SP 2089 (EC Ref No 6316/01 REV 1)
Is that recommendation agreed to?
Members indicated agreement.
Pages 6 to 12 list the documents on which the recommendation is for no further action. Those documents are:
SP 1985 (EC Ref No 6248/01 COM(2001) 79 final Vol I)
SP 2073 (EC Ref No 6164/1/01 REV 1)
SP 2075 (EC Ref No 2623-21 EUROPOL)
SP 2076 (EC Ref No 2626-01 EUROPOL)
SP 2077 (EC Ref No 2626-02 EUROPOL)
SP 2078 (EC Ref No 3710-31)
SP 2079 (EC Ref No 13165/1/00)
SP 2090 (EC Ref No 13165/1/00 REV 1 COR1)
SP 2114 (EC Ref No 7073/01 COM(2001) 128 final (Volume II))
SP 2117 (EC Ref No 6958/01 COM(2001) 71 final)
SP 1995 (EC Ref No 6005/01 COM(2001) 33 final)
SP 2006 (EC Ref No 5688/01 COM(2001) 59 final)
SP 2008 (EC Ref No 6182/01 COM(2001) 67 final)
SP 2010 (EC Ref No 6247/01 COM(2001) 46 final)
SP 2011 (EC Ref No 5778/01 COM(2000) 4397 final)
SP 2045 (EC Ref No 6419/01 COM(2001) 83 final 2001/0046 (COD))
SP 2056 (EC Ref No 5980/01 EDUC 23)
SP 2081 (EC Ref No 6998/01 ECOFIN 74)
SP 2083 (EC Ref No 6789/01)
SP 2084 (EC Ref No 6470/01)
SP 2086 (EC Ref No 6999/01 ECOFIN 75)
SP 2087 (EC Ref No 6029/01 COM(2001) 91 final)
SP 2091 (EC Ref No 6559/01 COM(2000) 798 final)
SP 2092 (EC Ref No 6651/01 COM(2001) 108 final)
SP 2093 (EC Ref No 6802/01 COM(2001) 96 final)
SP 2095 (EC Ref No 6558/01 COM(2001) 57 final)
SP 2096 (EC Ref No 6561/01 COM(2001) 105 final)
SP 2097 (EC Ref No 6846/01 COM(2001) 115 final)
SP 2101 (EC Ref No COM(2001) 140 final)
SP 2102 (EC Ref No 7182/01 COM(2001) 110 final)
SP 2103 (EC Ref No 7138/01 SEC(2001) 246 final)
SP 2104 (EC Ref No 7125/01 COM(2001) 122 final)
SP 2105 (EC Ref No 7124/01 COM(2001) 121 final)
SP 2106 (EC Ref No 7081/01 COM(2001) 128 final (Volume X))
SP 2107 (EC Ref No 7080/01 COM(2001) 128 final (Volume IX))
SP 2108 (EC Ref No 7079/01 COM(2001) 128 final (Volume VIII))
SP 2109 (EC Ref No 7078/01 COM(2001) 128 final (Volume VII))
SP 2110 (EC Ref No 7077/01 COM(2001) 128 final (Volume VI))
SP 2111 (EC Ref No 7076/01 COM(2001) 128 final (Volume V))
SP 2112 (EC Ref No 7075/01 COM(2001) 128 final (Volume IV))
SP 2113 (EC Ref No 7074/01 COM(2001) 128 final (Volume III))
SP 2115 (EC Ref No 7072/01 COM(2001) 128 final (Volume I))
SP 2116 (EC Ref No 6974/01 COM(2001) 113 final)
SP 2118 (EC Ref No 6739/01 SEC(2001) 73 final)
SP 2119 (EC Ref No 6738/01 SEC(2000) 2143 final (Volume I))
SP 2120 (EC Ref No 13104/00 ADD1 COM(2000) 558 final (Volume II))
SP 2124 (EC Ref No SEC(2001) 150)
SP 2125 (EC Ref No L56 Volume 44)
SP 2074 (EC Ref No 2623-20 EUROPOL)
SP 2094 (EC Ref No 5872/01 CRIMORG 12)
Is that recommendation agreed to?
Members indicated agreement.
The outgoing Minister for Environment, Sport and Culture responded to our concerns on the proposed waste electric and electronic equipment directive. His letter is useful, but I think that we should dig a bit deeper on some issues. Given the state of play of recycling legislation in Scotland, we need reassurance that any new obligations for recycling waste can be met. On the costs and benefits, both financial and environmental, of recycling, we need to determine whether legislation can be devised to cope with such a varied range of products. I suggest that we ask for further information on the matter and note that the issue will be part of the European Parliament mini-plenary in Brussels on 15 May—any exchange of letters with the Executive should be sent to Scottish members of the European Parliament. Unless members have any comments on that, I ask for the committee's agreement to those recommendations.
Members indicated agreement.
The next item on the agenda is our draft report on the common fisheries policy, which we will take in private session. I thank the audience for attending.
Meeting continued in private until 14:35.