Brussels, 03/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - The plenary session of the Committee of the Regions will take place, quite exceptionally, on a single full day, Thursday 9 October from 9h00 to 18h00 (a mini-session of the Parliament is being held at the same time). The future of the Union fill be the subject of a debate on the basis of a report by the President of the Committee, Albert Bore (PES, Chief Town Councillor in Birmingham, United Kingdom), and Vice-President Reinhold Bocklet (EPP, Minister of Federal and European Affairs of the Land of Bavaria, Germany), on the Intergovernmental Conference. The President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, should also be present to speak on this subject as well as on inter-institutional relations. The debate will be preceded by a speech delivered by European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin on the impact that the policy will have on local authorities.
The Committee bureau, which meets the night before, is also expected to announce the name of its new general secretary to replace Vincenzo Falcone whose appointment was cancelled by the Court of Justice (EUROPE of 20 September, p.15). No name seems to be emerging for now. In order to replace him temporarily, one of the more senior directors of the Committee must be appointed, but the latter does not seem to be very enthusiastic. Other sources therefore evoke the possibility of calling on someone from outside the Committee.
The Committee of the Regions must also adopt the following opinions during the session: - trade and sustainable development: helping developing countries to benefit from open trade, the report by Ron Watson (Town Councillor in Seston, UK); - official feed and food inspections, a report by Xavier Desgain (Wallony representative, Belgium); - industrial policy in an enlarged Europe, report by Roberto Pella (Mayor of Valdengo and President of the Provincial Council of Biella); - Culture 2000, report by Rosemary Butler (elected member of the national assembly of Wales); - Media Plus - Development, Distribution and Promotion & Media-formation (2001-2005), report by Susie Kemp (leader of the opposition of the Country of West Berkshire); - the second action plan for the northern dimension (2004-2006), report by Lars Abel (member of the County Council of Copenhagen, Denmark) and Uno Aldegren (Regional Councillor of Skane, Sweden); - towards more accessible, fairer and better organised asylum systems, report by Ruth Coleman (County Councillor of North Wiltshire, United Kingdom); - common policy on illegal immigration, illegal trafficking and the trade in human beings, a report by Luc Van Den Brande (Flemish Senator, Belgium); - Enlarged Europe - neighhbourliness: a new framework for relations with our eastern and southern neighbours, a report by Manuel Chaves Gonzalez (president of the region of Andalusia, Spain).