§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements already exist, or are contemplated, for the Committee of Permanent Representatives of member governments of the states in current membership of the European Union and Community to confer and come to provisional agreement about matters on the agenda of formal meetings of the Heads of Government Council at their usual six-monthly meetings, or on other occasions. [HL2583]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanIt is the head of state or government holding the Presidency who decides on the agenda of European Council meetings and writes to colleagues to inform them. This often happens at short notice just before the European Council meets. It is therefore difficult for COREPER to prepare these agenda items in great detail.
Some of the items on the agenda have been the subject of considerable discussion and negotiation in COREPER and other Council formations and are put to the European Council for attention or for resolution. Other agenda items are for political orientation and do not need extensive preparation or are new initiatives which are given political approval before going to working level for negotiation.
112WAThe question of the rotating Persidency, as well as the workings of COREPER and the European Council are all likely to be addressed in the forthcoming exercise on Council reform as well as in the Convention on the Future of Europe. The UK Government will press for decisions on these processes to make the Council more efficient and effective.