Written question asked by Philip Hollobone (Conservative) on Wednesday, 16 November 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 21 November 2005. It was answered by Douglas Alexander (Labour) on Monday, 28 November 2005 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

EU Committees

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation the United Kingdom has on the EU's Article 133 Committee.

Answer: The Article 133 Committee is a council body established under Article 133 of the EC treaty to assist the Commission in the conduct of the EU's trade policy. The committee is attended by one representative of each EU member state as well the European Commission and the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU.The Article 133 Committee meets weekly—once a month in full members format, with attendance by the senior trade official of each member state and three times a month in deputy members format, with attendance by less senior officials. It meets also, although less regularly, in specific sectoral formations, namely services, textiles and steel.The UK's full member of the Article 133 Committee is Edmund Hosker, Director of World Trade, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The UK's deputy member of the Article 133 Committee is Ray Symons, Head of the EU Trade Negotiations Unit, DTI.

Secondary information