We now come to the business of EU scrutiny. The sub-committee on EU scrutiny has examined three proposals falling within the remit of the Department of Foreign Affairs. COM (2004) 46 is a proposal for a Council decision extending the period of application of the measures concluding consultations with Zimbabwe under the ACP-EC partnership agreement. This proposal seeks to extend, for a further period of one year, the application of certain measures against Zimbabwe. The measures were introduced by the EU in response to the violation of human rights in that country. Measures taken to date include suspension of budgetary support for development projects. No additional negative measures are sought in the proposal so as to reduce the possibility of further impacting on the people of Zimbabwe. The sub-committee has recommended that no further scrutiny of this measure is required. Is that agreed? Agreed.
COM(2004) 48 is a proposal for a Council regulation concerning certain restrictive measures toward Liberia. Following positive political developments in Liberia, the UN Security Council, in a December 2003 resolution, decided to modify some of the restrictive measures in place on Liberia. This proposed regulation follows the UN Security Council 1521 and seeks to maintain the arms embargo, travel restrictions, travel restrictions and the timber and diamond sanctions. It takes account of the presence of the UNMIL force in Liberia. The regulation proposes that the arms and training element of the EU restrictive measures do not apply to UNMIL. The sub-committee have recommended no further scrutiny of this measure. Is that agreed? Agreed.
COM(2003)793 is a proposal for a Council regulation amending a number of existing regulations in order to allow the stabilisation and association process countries to participate in tenders organised under the pre-accession community assistance programmes. The European Council meeting of June 2003 at Thessaloniki invited the Commission to consider taking appropriate measures to allow the stabilisation and association process countries to participate in tenders and contracts under these programmes, such as PHARE, which assists states in developing their public administrations and institutions. The Commission highlighted in its memorandum that one of the expected benefits of the preparation of the countries of the western Balkans for future accession will be to familiarise them with EU policies and working methods. The following states are covered: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and FYROM. The sub-committee has recommended that no further scrutiny of this measure is required. Is that agreed? Agreed.
The sub-committee has also requested that the committee take note of nine measures and proposals which are listed in the documentation and circulated with the agenda. Is the committee happy to note these measures? Agreed.
The joint committee went into private session and adjourned at 3.55 p.m. until 11.30 a.m. on Thursday, 1 April 2004.