Chamber
Plenary, 15 Jan 2004
15 Jan 2004 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
European Commission<br />(Work Programme)
Those observations do not hang together with the reality of the Commission's work plan. As Mr Gallie said, the constitution might be considered to be too ambitious in the context of the Commission's extensive work programme.
I welcome the point that is made in the introduction to the 2004 work plan, that
"the Legislative and Work Programme for 2004 is deliberately much more tightly focussed than in previous years. The Commission intends its programme to be as realistic as possible, both in terms of what it can deliver and the other EU institutions can absorb."
That is a theme that we would all recognise and encourage. I hope that Mr Gallie would accept that, given the fact that the Commission will change, given the forthcoming European elections—which he and Nicola Sturgeon have mentioned—and given the length of time over which the constitution was to have been considered had it been passed, it is difficult to imagine that the constitution would be the Commission's main driving force.
The Executive has already organised a meeting to discuss the Commission's 2004 work programme. Mr Gallie mentioned the EMILE meeting on 8 December. I hope that a parliamentary debate and an EMILE meeting on the European Commission work programme can become a regular fixture in future, as Mr Lochhead requested earlier.
I will concentrate briefly on what is contained in the work programme, what it means to Scotland, and how the Executive plans to deal with those matters. The programme is shorter than those in previous years, which is understandable due to the fact that this is the final year of the current Commission; a new Commission will be sworn in later this year. Notwithstanding those events and, of course, the enlargement of the Council to 25 member states, the Commission's work programme is still ambitious, with several significant legislative and non-legislative proposals that are of importance to Scotland. We welcome the programme as a useful planning document.
The Commission's top priority for 2004 is the accession of the 10 new member states. The Commission is determined to ensure that the new member states are successfully and quickly integrated into the European Union. As I have said previously in the chamber—and as the Executive has said during debates in the chamber in the past six months—the Executive welcomes the accession and believes that enlargement will have many benefits for Scotland.
The Commission's second main priority is stability. The justice and home affairs agenda is one of the fastest growing areas of EU policy so, with its distinctive legal system, Scotland must keep fully abreast of EU developments in that field.
The third priority is sustainable growth, on which the programme proposes a review of the EU's sustainable development strategy and implementation of the EU water and energy initiatives, which were announced at the 2001 Johannesburg world summit. That agenda is important to the Executive, given its commitments in "A Partnership for a Better Scotland" on growing the economy and sustainable development.
The Commission's work programme is of real importance and we are determined to work positively and proactively to ensure that Scotland's interests are understood and are an active part of the considerations. We intend to draw on the Commission's work programme to help us to focus and prioritise our efforts on the key short and medium-term issues that are likely to have a significant impact on people's lives in Scotland. We also intend to increase our direct engagement with the European Commission—I hope that that deals with some of the concerns that were expressed earlier. We will do that by meeting directly with Commission officials and Commissioners in Brussels. We will invite them to Scotland and we will provide them with information and details about Scotland's circumstances. We will ramp up our interaction with Scotland's MEPs through increased ministerial contacts, greater use of briefing sessions in Edinburgh and even more contact with MEPs and their staff in Brussels and Strasbourg.
Such face-to-face interaction with key MEPs and officials is extremely effective, given the café-and-corridor culture of Brussels—a point that was made by Nicola Sturgeon.
I welcome the point that is made in the introduction to the 2004 work plan, that
"the Legislative and Work Programme for 2004 is deliberately much more tightly focussed than in previous years. The Commission intends its programme to be as realistic as possible, both in terms of what it can deliver and the other EU institutions can absorb."
That is a theme that we would all recognise and encourage. I hope that Mr Gallie would accept that, given the fact that the Commission will change, given the forthcoming European elections—which he and Nicola Sturgeon have mentioned—and given the length of time over which the constitution was to have been considered had it been passed, it is difficult to imagine that the constitution would be the Commission's main driving force.
The Executive has already organised a meeting to discuss the Commission's 2004 work programme. Mr Gallie mentioned the EMILE meeting on 8 December. I hope that a parliamentary debate and an EMILE meeting on the European Commission work programme can become a regular fixture in future, as Mr Lochhead requested earlier.
I will concentrate briefly on what is contained in the work programme, what it means to Scotland, and how the Executive plans to deal with those matters. The programme is shorter than those in previous years, which is understandable due to the fact that this is the final year of the current Commission; a new Commission will be sworn in later this year. Notwithstanding those events and, of course, the enlargement of the Council to 25 member states, the Commission's work programme is still ambitious, with several significant legislative and non-legislative proposals that are of importance to Scotland. We welcome the programme as a useful planning document.
The Commission's top priority for 2004 is the accession of the 10 new member states. The Commission is determined to ensure that the new member states are successfully and quickly integrated into the European Union. As I have said previously in the chamber—and as the Executive has said during debates in the chamber in the past six months—the Executive welcomes the accession and believes that enlargement will have many benefits for Scotland.
The Commission's second main priority is stability. The justice and home affairs agenda is one of the fastest growing areas of EU policy so, with its distinctive legal system, Scotland must keep fully abreast of EU developments in that field.
The third priority is sustainable growth, on which the programme proposes a review of the EU's sustainable development strategy and implementation of the EU water and energy initiatives, which were announced at the 2001 Johannesburg world summit. That agenda is important to the Executive, given its commitments in "A Partnership for a Better Scotland" on growing the economy and sustainable development.
The Commission's work programme is of real importance and we are determined to work positively and proactively to ensure that Scotland's interests are understood and are an active part of the considerations. We intend to draw on the Commission's work programme to help us to focus and prioritise our efforts on the key short and medium-term issues that are likely to have a significant impact on people's lives in Scotland. We also intend to increase our direct engagement with the European Commission—I hope that that deals with some of the concerns that were expressed earlier. We will do that by meeting directly with Commission officials and Commissioners in Brussels. We will invite them to Scotland and we will provide them with information and details about Scotland's circumstances. We will ramp up our interaction with Scotland's MEPs through increased ministerial contacts, greater use of briefing sessions in Edinburgh and even more contact with MEPs and their staff in Brussels and Strasbourg.
Such face-to-face interaction with key MEPs and officials is extremely effective, given the café-and-corridor culture of Brussels—a point that was made by Nicola Sturgeon.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
Good morning. The first item of business is a debate on motion S2M-771, in the name of Richard Lochhead, on behalf of the European and External Relations Com...
Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
As convener of the Scottish Parliament's European and External Relations Committee, it is a pleasure for me to open the debate on the European Commission's w...
Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD):
LD
Does Mr Lochhead agree that although the SCDI is planning trade missions to seven of the 10 new member states within the next year, it is equally important t...
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
Yes. I am delighted to agree with a fellow member of the committee.The review of the 2004 work plan for Scottish Development International shows that it has ...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
This is an important debate in what will be a momentous year for the European Union. As Richard Lochhead said, it is the year of enlargement, European Parlia...
Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab):
Lab
Does the member accept that a crucial part of the work of the European and External Relations Committee is to do just that? The previous European Committee i...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
That is exactly what I was coming on to say. In this session of Parliament we have made important strides forward. It is good to see ministers and officials ...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Richard Lochhead on the way in which he led for the European and External Relations Committee. I agree with most of what he said.We welcome th...
The Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services (Tavish Scott):
LD
I was rather looking forward to Mr Gallie continuing that frame of analysis.I thank Richard Lochhead and the European and External Relations Committee for in...
Phil Gallie:
Con
I thank the minister for his comments. I recognise that the constitution would not be implemented until 2009, but its implications are so vast that it will t...
Tavish Scott:
LD
Those observations do not hang together with the reality of the Commission's work plan. As Mr Gallie said, the constitution might be considered to be too amb...
Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
In the context of communication between the Scottish Parliament and the European Parliament, has the minister given any consideration to the establishment of...
Tavish Scott:
LD
I hope that Mrs Ewing will accept that that is rather more a matter for Parliament than for me. I visited the Scottish Parliament office the last time I was ...
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
Enlargement of the EU has been a big issue in the debate and will continue to be so. Will the minister give examples of any analyses by his department of the...
Tavish Scott:
LD
Such analysis is going on, rightly, across all departments of the Executive, not just in finance and public services. Enterprise plays a particularly importa...
Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab):
Lab
The motion asks Parliament to note the European Commission's work programme in a year of massive transition, in which a new European Parliament will be elect...
Mrs Ewing:
SNP
Is Mr Home Robertson now saying that he believes that Ted Heath was right to say that Scottish fishermen were expendable?
Mr Home Robertson:
Lab
No. I think that he was right to understand that fisheries need to be managed internationally. Margaret Thatcher was very seldom right, but she was right to ...
Phil Gallie:
Con
Is Mr Home Robertson concerned that growth in the euro zone is less than growth in Europe as a whole?
Mr Home Robertson:
Lab
That is one of the current problems. It would be right for Britain to be in the euro zone, but the zone must stabilise and begin to grow. However, it is wort...
Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD):
LD
It has been said with considerable understatement that 2004 will be a far from normal year for the EU. Indeed, phrases such as "a dramatic new phase in the E...
Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab):
Lab
It is indeed good to see Keith Raffan back in the chamber—I am enjoying his speech. However, I am interested in his comment about the need to reunify Cyprus,...
Mr Raffan:
LD
Obviously, the Commission's opinion on opening accession negotiations with Turkey continues to relate in some ways to the current pressure that the Turkish G...
Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green):
Green
I welcome this opportunity to discuss the European Commission's planned work programme. Whatever concerns we might have about the unelected and undemocratic ...
Phil Gallie:
Con
If all those toxic substances are getting into our blood, why on earth are we all living so much longer these days?
Mark Ballard:
Green
There is major public health concern about the impact on us of toxic chemicals in food, consumer and other products. For example, they might be involved in t...
Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab):
Lab
I am glad that, in this debate and in many others, the Scottish Parliament has, by and large, shown committed and enthusiastic support for engagement with th...
Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
Like others who have spoken in the debate, I welcome the opportunity to discuss the European Commission's work programme for 2004. I hope that we can do this...
Phil Gallie:
Con
In her earlier comments, the member referred to the mass of information and legislation that is generated in Europe. She has just referred to that again, as ...
Mrs Ewing:
SNP
People would be equally gobsmacked by the number of acronyms that we use when we discuss European legislation. That is part of the problem that we have to ov...