Brussels, 14/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Committee of the Regions opened its thirty-fourth plenary session on Wednesday, to be continued tomorrow. Commissioner Fischler is attending the debates on several agriculture-related issues: a) European Union positions in the field of agriculture for the next WTO round of talks (Pentillä and Bocklet Report); b) reform of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) - development of rural competitiveness (Mitchell Report); c) CAP and the safeguarding of the traditional European landscape (Endlein Report); d) draft Council regulations concerning the hemp and flax sectors (common market organisation and setting in place of support system, Ballhausen Report).
Sixteen other opinions are on the agenda of the Committee session. They mainly cover communications, draft directives and regulations for environment policies (Commission communication on sustainable development; White Paper on environmental responsibility; communication on air transport and the environment …) and education (Tempus III programme, student mobility, trainees, teachers and trainers; European cooperation for qualitative assessment of education in schools).
The Bureau of the Committee of the Regions appointed, on Tuesday, its new secretary general. He is Vincenzo Falcone, former Director of the Committee Administration. He has already held the post of acting secretary general since 31 August, when the term of office of the previous secretary general, Dietrich Pause, came to an end.