Brussels, 17/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - The 40th plenary session of the Committee of the Regions will be marked by the signing of a cooperation protocol between the European Commission and the Committee of the Regions. Mainly intended to strengthen Committee consultation as well as its participation in the European Commission's communication policy, the Protocol will be formally signed by the presidents of the Committee of the Regions and of the European Commission. Romano Prodi will take the floor on Thursday morning before the members of the Committee of the Regions. The Committee should adopt the following opinions:
Price and sustainable management of water resources; Rapporteur Marc Bellet (PES, France)
Future practical aims of education systems; Sean O'Neachtain (European Alliance, Ireland)
Community policy on immigration and asylum; Theódoros Georgákis (PES, Greece)
Status of third country nationals who are long-term residents; Panagiótis Rigas (PES, Greece)
ELearning Action Plan - reflecting on education of tomorrow; Irma Peiponen (PES, Finland)
Services of general interest in Europe; Jean-Louis Joseph (PES, France)
Helping SMEs become digital - Europe Go Digital; Constance Hanniffy (EPP, Ireland)
Report on proximity; Karl-Heinz Klär (PES, Germany) and José Luis Ramiero Gonzalez (EPP, Spain)
Memorandum on the future of Europe; Manfred Dammeyer (PES, Germany)
Future of Common Fisheries Policy; Rüdiger von Plüskow (PES, Germany) and Wim van Gelder (EPP, Netherlands)
The report on the implementation of the telecommunications regulations; Risto Koivisto (PES, Finland)
Improving the quality of services in maritime ports, market access to port services, public financing practices and pricing, and the declaration formalities applying to ships leaving and entering Community ports; Gianfranco Lamberti (PSE, Italy)
The BSE crisis: impact on consumers and base producer; Günther Pumberger (EPP, Austria) and Tommaso Sodano (PES, Italy)
Quality and security norms for the collection, control, processing, storage and distribution of human blood and of derived blood products; Mae Sexton (ELDR, Ireland)
Activities of the Observatory on Racist and Xenophobic Phenomena; Peter Moore (ELDR, Britain)