Brussels, 26/06/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Praesidium of the European Convention decided at its meeting on 25 June to propose, at the plenary of the Convention on 11 and 12 July, to set four new working groups in place, so that they might begin their activities during September. These groups will cover: - internal security and justice; - external relations of the EU and its representation outside the EU; - security and defence policy; - and the simplification of legislative procedures.
Furthermore, the Praesidium drew up a largely positive report of the plenary held on 24 and 25 June devoted to listening to the civil society (we shall be coming back to this: see yesterday's EUROPE, pages 6 and 7), and welcomed the large number of participants, while considering that the method of preparation around contact groups with the different representatives of the civil society had been good. As pointed out by Vice-President Jean-Luc Dehaene, contacts with the civil society will continue.
Finally, the Praesidium prepared the plenary on 11 and 12 July. It will be dedicated to external Union relations. On Thursday afternoon, there will be a general exchange of views on such issues, and then, on Friday morning, after a meeting with the members of the Youth Convention who will present the results of their work (beginning 9 July), discussions will cover security and defence policy. As usual, Members will have a Praesidium text which first of all explains the existing situation (going from trade policy to development and from CFSP to ESDP). In a second part, they will speak of the way to ensure coherence of Union external action and its representation abroad. A questionnaire will be addressed to the Convention Members, as usual.
Furthermore, Chairman Valéry Giscard d'Estaing will be in Copenhagen on 2 July, accompanied by the representative for the Danish government at the Convention, Henning Christophersen. While there, he will meet Prime Minister Anders Foegh Rasmussen and the Folketing's Committee on European Affairs.