§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list(a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture, (b) the number of times, and the dates, on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House. [110301]
§ Mr. BradshawThe EU Committee on the Conservation, Characterisation, Collection and Utilisation of Genetic Resources in Agriculture does not have a fixed membership, but consists of delegates drawn from each of the 15 European member states
The Committee has met twice since January 2002, on 29 January 2002 and on 24 February 2003. The agenda items it considered at these meetings were:
Exchange of views on a Commission proposal for a new Council Regulation on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture (29 January 2002);Report on the state of projects funded under Council Regulation 1467/94 (29 January 2002 and 24 February 2003);Exchange of views on a Commission working document on a revised proposal for a new Council Regulation on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilisation of genetic resources in agriculture (24 February 2003).No decisions were taken at these meetings.
Decisions of EU Comitology Committees are not routinely deposited for scrutiny under established scrutiny procedures. Together with member states, the Commission has been conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of Comitology Committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/ EC, to
simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission".The Working Group on the Friends of Comitology is meeting later this month to discuss proposals for interim reform. As an obligation to this decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of the Committee. The second report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 10 January 2003 ref 5060/03, COM(03)733. As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every Comitology Committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the Directive on conservation of wild birds (ORNIS), the number of times and the dates on which it has met since January 2002, the agenda items312W it has considered since January 2002, the decisions it has made since January 2002 and the means used to communicate these decisions to the House. [110491]
§ Mr. BradshawThe ORNIS Committee (the Committee for the adaptation to technical and scientific progress of the Directive on conservation of wild birds) does not have a fixed membership, but consists of delegates drawn from each of the 15 European member states. UK representation usually consists of one official from my Department, together with a scientific adviser from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Officials from the devolved administrations sometimes also attend meetings.
Since January 2002 the ORNIS Committee has met twice, on 14 June 2002 and 26 June 2003. The main agenda items considered were:
Commission's Sustainable Hunting Initiative: The Commission presented its draft guidance document on interpretation of the Birds Directive. Member states were asked for comments and corrections on the draft guidance and on scientific data. The updated guidance document was made at the last meeting, pending further consideration of a key chapter.Article 4 (Special Protection Areas): Member states provided updates on completing the Special Protection Area network and were updated by the Commission on progress regarding action plans for Annex I species.Update on EU enlargement preparations: Update from the Commission, including agreement that accession countries could attend future meetings as observers and that future Annexes to the Directive should comprise scientific names only (given the difficulty of including common names in the increasing numbers of languages). Timeframes for implementation of the directive as well as monitoring and peer review exercise for Accession countries.Other information points, including reporting by member states under Article 9 and 12 of the directive, seminar on management of the cormorant, information systems for NATURA 2000 and collaboration with the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA). The UK also highlighted recent work in relation to the Ruddy Duck and sought supportive action in other member states.The ORNIS Committee is a Comitology Committee and its agendas covered normal business and ongoing work programmes. Meetings did not involve regulatory or substantive decisions, and therefore no specific arrangements were made to inform Parliament. Ministers receive regular briefing. Together with member states, the Commission has been conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of Comitology Committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". The Working Group on the Friends of Comitology is meeting later this month to discuss proposals for interim reform.
As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of the Committee. The second report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 10 January 2003 ref 5060/03, COM(03)733.
As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every Comitology Committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.
313W
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list(a) the names, titles and grades of the officials who sit on the EU committee on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, (b) the number of times, and the dates, on which it has met since January 2002, (c) the agenda items it has considered since January 2002, (d) the decisions it has made since January 2002 and (e) the means used to communicate the decisions to the House. [110296]
§ Mr. BradshawThe committee on the conservation of natural resources and of wild fauna and flora does not have a fixed membership, but consists of delegates drawn from each of the 15 European member states.
Since January 2002 there have been three committee meetings, on 14 March 2002, 20 November 2002 and 10 March 2003. In this period the agenda items included:
The future participation of accession countries in the committee and related working Groups—agreed to permit access countries to the committee and groups as observers.Green week.*Marine issues and Marine Working Group—agreed to establish group with terms of reference to establish site selection and management criteria for sites beyond territorial waters.A Swedish proposal on the introduction of fungi species into the Appendix I of the Bern Convention.*Establishment of Natura 2000 network.*Application of Article 8 and Financing of Natura 2000—establishment of working group with terms of reference to estimate overall cost of managing the Natura 2000 network.Article 12 and Article 12 Working Group—establishment of group to consider generic species management measures and relevant definitions.Art. 17 and 16—reporting.*Estuaries—agreement to a definition of boundaries.Proposed Directive on Environmental Liability and its link to Natura 2000.*GIS: state of play concerning data submission.*Access to information.*Access to sensitive data—agreement to withhold data on particularly sensitive plants locations from websites/public domain.Life Nature restoration projects and commitments for designation.*Projects to co-finance under Life Nature (2002)—support for Commission proposals for co-funding of projects under the Life-Nature Regulation 1655/2000 agreed in 2002.Projects to co-finance under Life Nature (2003)—support for Commission proposals for co-funding of projects under the Life-Nature Regulation 1655/2000 agreed in 2003.Monitoring.*Large Carnivores.*Communication issues.*Nature Directors' Meetings.*Decisions taken against each item have been listed. Those items marked with a * were presented for information only.
Decisions made by the Comitology committees are not routinely deposited for scrutiny under established scrutiny procedures, unless they are politically significant.
314WTogether with Member States, the Commission has been conducting a review to bring existing legislation on the conduct of Comitology committees into line with Council Decision 1999/468/EC, to "simplify the requirements for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission". The Working Group on the Friends of Comitology is meeting later this month to discuss proposals for interim reform.
As an obligation to this Decision, the Commission undertook to publish an annual report on the working of the committee. The second report was deposited in the Libraries of both Houses on 10 January 2003 ref 5060/03, COM(03)733.
As part of the review process, the UK Government have encouraged the Commission to produce and maintain an electronic database of every Comitology committee, its agendas and recent actions, to be accessible through its website.