Brussels, 24/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - The President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi and that of the Economic and Social Committee, Goke Frerichs sifned a protocol on 24 September revising the methods of c-operation that exist between the two organisations. This form of closer co-operation comes within the context of the Commission's Communication of 9 February 2000 "2000/2005 Strategic Objectives", and takes account of the outcome of the Nice Treaty which recognises the Committee's new role with regard to organised civil society. You may recall that the signing of the protocol, which was scheduled for 12 September was postponed following the attacks on New York (see EUROPE of 15 September, p.12 and for the details of the protocol, EUROPE of 8 September, p.13).