Brussels, 15/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Economic and Social Committee (ESC) will hold its plenary session in Brussels on 17/18 October, chaired by Göke Frerichs. Trade Commissioner, Pascal Lamy, and Environment Commissioner, Margot Wallström, will speak on Wednesday on the "4th WTO Ministerial Conference, Qatar" and "Sustainable Development".
The ESC will be adopting three own initiative opinions: 1) Preparation of the 4th WTO Ministerial Conference in Qatar: the ESC's position (rapporteur: Mr Vever, Employers' Group, France; co-rapporteur: Ms Sanchez Miguel, Workers' Group, Spain); 2) Euro-Mediterranean partnership - review and prospects five years on (Mr Dimitriadis, Employers' Group, Greece); 3) Young farmers and the new economy (Ms Sanchez Miguel).
The ESC will issue opinions on Commission Communications and/or legislative initiatives on: 1) Supplementary supervision of financial conglomerates (Mr Ravoet, Employers' Group, Belgium); 2) Agreements of minor importance not falling under Treaty Article 81 (1) (competition) (Mr Pezzini, Various Interests Group, Italy); 3) Common rules for internal market in natural gas and electricity (Mr Hernandez Bataller, Various Interests Group, Spain); 4) Energy performance of buildings (Mr Levaux, Employers' Group, France); 5) Distribution of road haulage and combined transport authorisations/EU-Romania (Mr Kielman, Employers' Group, the Netherlands); 6) Green Paper on Common Fisheries Policy (Mr Chagas, Employers' Group, Portugal); 7) Environment/Criminal Law (Ms Sanchez Miguel); 8) Protective measures against introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants (Mr Jaschick, Diverse Interests Group, Germany); 9) Common organisation of the market in sheep and goat meat (Mr de las Heras Cabanas, Diverse Interests Group, Spain); 10) Structural assistance/fisheries (Mr Muniz Guardado, Diverse Interests Group, Spain); Elimination of tax obstacles of cross-border provision of occupational pensions (Mr Byrne, Employers' Group, Ireland); 12) Status of third country nationals who are long-term residents (Mr Pariza Castanos, Workers' Group, Spain); 13) The eLearning Action Plan - Designing tomorrow's education (rapp. Mr Rupp, Diverse Interests Group, Germany; co-rapp. Mr Koryfidis, Workers' Group, Greece); 14) European Year of People with Disabilities (2003) (Mr Cabra de Luna, Diverse Interests Group, Spain); 15) Implementation of a European judicial area in civil matters (Mr Ataide Ferreira, Diverse Interests Group, Portugal); 16) Employment policies guidelines for 2002 (Mr van Dijk, Workers' Group, the Netherlands); 17) White Paper on future chemicals policy (Mr Colombo, Workers' Group, Italy); 17) Advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products (Mr Fuchs, Diverse Interests Group, Germany); Financial support for environmental NGOs (Ms Sanchez Miguel); 19) Structure and rates of excise duty levied on manufactured tobacco (Mr Bento Gonçalves, Diverse Interests Group, Portugal); 20) Quality of petrol and diesel fuels (Mr Gafo Fernandez, Employers' Group, Spain).