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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Committee on the development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law and on the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what issues were raised by the UK Government expert at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee made; what action was (a) proposed and (b) undertaken by (i) the EU and (ii) the UK; and if he will make a statement; [192497] (2) if he will list the five main (a) issues and (b) countries discussed by the Committee on the development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law and on the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms during the Greek presidency of the EU; and if he will make a statement. [192498] Mr. Rammell: The European Commission convenes quarterly meetings of the Human Rights and Democracy Committee to consult member states about projects it intends to fund under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights and to discuss priority funding areas. The UK is represented at official level by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development. During the first half of 2003, meetings took place on 11 March and 18 June in Brussels. Details of the thematic and geographical scope of the initiative, plus full details of the projects recommended by the Commission and approved by member states during this period are available at: http://europa.eu.int/ comm/europeaid/projects/eidhr/index en.htm

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

425 c1174-5W; 192497;192498

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Committees Government departments EU action Foreign and Commonwealth Office Murray, Craig

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk