European and External Relations Committee, 26 Apr 2005
Meeting date: Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Official Report
172KB pdf
Sift
Agenda item 4 is the sift of European Community and European Union documents and draft legislation. If memory serves me rightly, five papers have been highlighted.
The first paper, on demographic change, is relevant to our forthcoming inquiry which we will consider under our next agenda item. I will ask the clerks to ensure that material from the green paper on demographic change is available to committee members, as we may find it beneficial and relevant to our inquiry.
On that point—[Interruption.]
Please switch off your phone.
Do other members want to raise any points?
With music in the background, I will make a few points.
Having read the sift document, I agree with the recommendation that we should be given the full details of the green paper on demographic change, which will be a significant document for us. Beyond that, we are recommending that other committees have an input into the European Commission's consultation. Are we looking at one document or a number of documents going from the Scottish Parliament? Which has the greater impact? I do not know if that can be addressed through the Conveners Group. What mechanisms exist to produce a coherent report? We would have more impact if the Parliament sent one strong document with headings.
We have not discussed how that can best be undertaken, but if other committees desire to input we can facilitate that through the Conveners Group. The paper will be looked at by other committees, but it has the most relevance to our forthcoming inquiry, which we can begin to consider.
The second item is the 12th in a series of reports from the Commission on better law making, and is relevant to the committee's monitoring of subsidiarity and proportionality in EU legislation. Are there any comments?
The Committee of the Regions will produce an opinion on the document, which will address regional dimensions. It might be helpful for the committee to read that.
Sure.
The third paper deals with the laws that are applicable to divorce in cases where the partners are citizens of different member states. The Justice 1 Committee is looking at the matter, and I propose to refer the paper to it.
The fourth paper concerns enterprise restructuring and minimising the impact on workers and regional economies, and is relevant to the Communities Committee and the Enterprise and Culture Committee, to which we will refer it.
Finally, the last paper considers the need for the EU and member states to further develop their approach to regulation, to ensure that the defence of public interests and economic development are blended effectively. The paper most directly falls within the scope of the Enterprise and Culture Committee, but it will be applicable to a number of committees, particularly in relation to the Lisbon strategy.
On the Commission's communication on restructuring and employment, the commission for economic and social policy—ECOS—of the Committee of the Regions is meeting in Brussels next week, when it will allocate the role of providing an opinion on the document. I do not want to pre-empt ECOS's decision, but I may be approached to take on the role myself. I want to place that in the public domain, and invite any members who have an interest to provide input. I will be happy to discuss how we can maximise Scottish input, if I am allocated the task next week.
I am sure that it will be a hotly contested task.