§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement on the European Council in Copenhagen of 23 June,Official Report, columns 309–10, what were the main elements of the Commission paper on information disclosure and transparency discussed at the Council; and what was the policy position advanced by the United Kingdom on openness during the Council deliberations on the Commission's proposals.
§ The Prime MinisterThe main points of the Commission's paper are:
- —a positive assessment of progress since Birmingham,/ Edinburgh;
- —suggestions for future activity, including follow-up to the Sutherland report on the single market (which addressed the need to ensure its effectiveness, for example through better explanation of the legislation and its rationale) and simplification of Community legislation to reduce burdens on business;
- —the possibility of a round table meeting with regional/local authorities and NG0s;
- —the need for a more responsive and effective Commission information/press service;
447 - —a request to member states to improve openness at national level about the implementation of Community policies;
- —the idea of an inter-institutional agreement on access to information.
At Copenhagen, we welcomed the progress made since the Edinburgh European Council, in opening up the work of the Council of Ministers, had emphasised the importance of continuing work in this area, including on the Commission's proposals for granting public access to information held by the Community's institutions.