Brussels, 29/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Italian Presidency has drawn up a provisional programme of work for each session of the Intergovernmental Conference, up to the European Council of 12 and 13 December. As it proposed during the informal Council of Riva del Garda, the Presidency is leaving it up to the Heads of State and Government to raise the most controversial issues such as the composition of the Commission, and the modalities for qualified majority voting.
The Presidency suggests concentrating on: 1) on 4 October, the opening of the IGC: creation of the legislative Council, the rotation of the Presidency of the Council and the status and role of the European Foreign Minister; 2) on 14 October, at the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg: legislative Council, rotation of the Council, Foreign Minister, defence; 3) on 16 and 17 October, during the European Council: legislative Council, rotation of Council, Foreign Minister, defence; 4) on 17 and 28 October, during the General Affairs Council: the composition of the Commission, qualified majority, Foreign Minister, defence; 5) on 18 November, during the General Affairs Council: qualified majority, Foreign Minister, ratification procedures; 6) on 28 and 29 November, during the "conclave" of Foreign Affairs Ministers in Rome: the preparation of the complete package for the European summit; 7) on 9 December, continuation of preparations for the package.