Brussels, 08/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - Next week in Strasbourg, the Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament is to discuss the work of the European Convention with a view to the Convention's plenary session on 15 and 16 May (see p.5). During Tuesday afternoon, President Pat Cox and the presidents of the political groups will hold an exchange of views on the European Commission's position with the President of the Commission Romano Prodi at the latter's request, it was announced on Thursday by Parliament Spokesman David Harley. Concerning the challenge launched by Chairman Valéry Giscard d'Estaing to hold a public discussion on the controversial issue of a full-time European Council President (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.5), a challenge that President Prodi is reportedly willing to raise according to the Commission spokesperson, Mr Harley said that President Cox awaited this debate with interest.
Before the meeting with Mr Prodi, during Tuesday morning, a meeting of the European Parliament delegation at the Convention will be held. EP Convention Members have created a restricted and informal working group formed of only two or three members each, in order to collect the amendments of parliamentarians on the various parts of the project on the table: - aims of the EU, fundamental rights, powers, institutions, democratic life, finance, the fact of belonging to the Union, the area of freedom, security and justice, external actions, final provisions, protocols on subsidiary and the role of national parliaments.
David Harley also hoped that, next Thursday in Strasbourg, a solution will be found to the controversy caused by adoption of the timetable for sittings in 2004, with fewer sessions in Strasbourg (see EUROPE of 10 April, p.8, and 11 April, p.9). Mr Harley noted that a meeting of the Conference of Presidents scheduled for Thursday with Jean-Pierre Raffarin has been cancelled. "This is the fourth time the French Prime Minister has been unable to come and see us in Strasbourg, but we could perhaps ask him if it would be easier to come to Brussels", the spokesperson commented.