The Earl of Carlisleasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have, in co-ordination with their European Union partners, finalised plans to enable civil servants from the 5+1 nations which commenced negotiations for entry into the European Union on 31 March to undertake attachments to the European Commission and the civil services of member states of the European Union; and whether they will provide (a) a list of the United Kingdom ministries involved in the process and (b) the numbers of civil servants from each of the 5+1 nations involved. [HL3333]
211WA
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)The European Commission and member states are now implementing the new "twinning" programme, the main plank of the institution-building component of the Phare Programme for all Central European Candidate Countries. The current focus of twinning is on the placement of member state officials in Central Europe. Round 1 is well under way, with Pre-Accession Advisers hoping to be in place in Central Europe by the beginning of next year. Round 2 of 1998 is due to start at the end of October. There are plans to complement the outward secondment of EU experts with inward secondment of Central European civil servants, but it is too early to be sure of the necessary numbers involved. Twinning currently covers four priority sectors of theacquis communautaire: Finance, Environment, Agriculture and Justice and Home Affairs. After 1999 this will expand to include all sectors, and the FCO hopes to interest all UK departments, agencies and related bodies which have responsibility for implementing EU legislation in future twinning rounds.
Placements in the European Commission are also helpful. But, as we have said before, this is a matter for the Commission to decide.
In addition, the FCO and the majority of other government departments have offered short placements on an ad hoc basis to officials from the candidate countries.