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JOINT COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN AFFAIRS debate -
Thursday, 8 Jul 2004

Business of Joint Committee.

On correspondence, it is proposed to note further correspondence on the third Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The second item is a letter of congratulations to the Chairman from the Community on European Integration in the Ukrainian Parliament. It is proposed to note this. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The third item is the correspondence received from the Parliament of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia regarding a proposed visit. I propose to note this matter for the moment and we can return to it pending the Ceann Comhairle's decision on the visit because both he and the committee have been invited.

The fourth item is a letter from Mr. Ameral regarding the role of national parliaments in the constitutional treaty. I propose to note this. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The fifth item is an invitation to and programme for a seminar on the role of high level committees in EU policy making. This is mainly aimed at officials. I propose to note it. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The sixth item is an invitation to the conference on co-operation on defence systems procurement in Europe. I propose to note this. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The seventh item is correspondence from Dr. Jan Nico Scholten, president of European Parliamentarians for Africa, regarding a conference on African-European parliamentary consultation on children orphaned by AIDS in Africa on 22-24 September in Cape Town. This conference is being followed by the Committee on Foreign Affairs so I propose to note the correspondence.

Are members of that committee attending the conference?

Yes. A previous conference in March was attended by the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. Therefore, it has been following the process.

Will we not be going?

Not unless the committee decides otherwise.

We should discuss our attendance at the next meeting.

We will put it on the agenda for discussion at the next meeting. The eighth item is a reply from the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, concerning Mr. Henry Rogers and the question of recognition for lecturers. I propose to note this correspondence for the moment but the committee may wish to come back to this matter once full correspondence has been received. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The ninth item is an invitation to the Chairman to a conference on the European economic area and the European Free Trade Agreement in the new Europe to be held in Reykjavik, Iceland, on Thursday, 21 October. It is proposed to note this correspondence as the conference appears to be primarily of relevance to members of the EEA and EFTA, unless the committee would like to send a member to report back.

We could consider it with the other conference at the next meeting.

We will consider it at the September meeting because it does not take place until 21 October. The next meeting of the sub-committee will take place on Thursday, 22 July. I adjourn this meeting of the main committee sine die since we will not have business in July and we do not normally meet in August. We had hoped to deal with a report by our special adviser, Ms Katherine Meenan, on comitology. That report could be ready by the end of July but we will be able to deal with it in September.

The joint committee adjourned at 4.10 p.m. sine die.

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