Brussels, 23/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Economic and Social Committee is to meet in plenary session in Brussels on 24 and 25 April, chaired by Goke Frerischs. Wednesday, Commissioner Gunter Verheugen will brief them on the enlargement process and the involvement of organisations of civil society, in the presence of several co-chairs of the joint Consultative Committees of candidate countries (Mr. B Danev (Bulgaria), Mr. D. Cristescu (Romania), Mr. G. Horvath (Hungary), Ms. Niepokilczyka (Poland), Mr. J. Mlyncek (Slovak Republic), Ms. M. Roksandic and Mr. Sporar (Slovenia), Mr. H. Karakoc (Turkey), Mr. P. Prior (Czech Republic), and, for Estonia, somewhat yet to be designated.
During this session, the Committee will be called upon to adopt seven own-opinion initiatives on: 1) household over-indebtedness (rapporteur: Ataide Ferriera, group of various interests, Portugal); 2) SMEs in EU island regions (Vassilaras, group of various interests, Greece); 3) EU forestry sector and enlargement (Kallio, group of various interests, Finland); 4) a new impetus for European youth (rapporteur: Ms. Hassett, group of various interests, Ireland; co-rapporteurs Rodriguez Garcia Care, employers' group, Spain, Soares, workers' group, Portugal): ; 5) ACP/EU co-operation agreement (Baeza Sanjuan, workers' group, Spain); 6) tax competition and its effects of company competitiveness (Morgan, employers' group, UK); 7) prolongation of trans-European networks to European island regions (Vassilaras, group of various activities, Greece).
The Committee will also be called on to vote on the following Commission legislative proposals or communications: 1)common policy on illegal immigration (Pariza Castanos, workers' group, Spain); 2) approximation of laws relating to the type approval of rear-view mirrors (Colombo, workers' group, Italy); 3) promotion and use of bio-fuels in transport (Wilkinson, employers' group, UK); 4) genetically modified food and feed (Ms. Thomas, group of various interests, UK); 5) collection and use of genetic resources in agriculture (Ribbe, group of various interests, Germany); major accident hazards involving dangerous substances (Levaux, employers' group, France); 7)freedom of EU citizens within the territory of the Member States (Rodriguez Garcia Caro, employers' group, Spain); 8) Community statistics on income and living conditions (rapporteur: Ms. Florio, workers' group, Italy; co-rapporteurs: Bento Gonclaves, group off various activities, Portugal and Burani, employers' group, Italy); 9) strengthening the local dimension pf the European employment strategy - additional opinion (Viany, workers' group, Italy); 10) safeguarding internal security and complying with obligations - Commission working document (Retureau, workers' group, France); 11) 3rd phase of the Tempus Programme 2000-2006 (Ms. Florio, workers' group, Italy).