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Dept for International Development

Answer

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many times during the Greek presidency of the EU the Committee on economic aid to the countries of central and eastern Europe and for the co-ordination of aid to the candidate countries under the pre-accession strategy met; when and where these meetings took place; which UK Government expert was present at each meeting; what recommendations the Committee made during the Greek presidency; whether an opinion was sought by his Department of the UK Government expert present at the relevant meeting concerning the recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [192499] Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Greek presidency of the European Union occupied the first six months of 2003. During that period the TACIS Management Committee met four times: 26 February; 26 March; 23 April; 12 June. All meetings were held in Brussels. The UK was represented by officials from DFID and the United Kingdom Representation in Brussels (UKREP). The TACIS (Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States) Management Committee oversees the implementation of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 99/2000 of 29 December 1999. The TACIS Management Committee is convened and constituted for member states to assist the Commission with the implementation of the Community's TACIS programme. It operates independently of the presidency. TACIS is the EC assistance programme to the Newly Independent States of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (NIS). The Committee determines the strategy framework for the TACIS Programme, and approves annual and multi-annual allocations to country and regional programmes The detail of the discussions in the Committees are confidential and are covered by the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, Part II, exemption 2. Under Council Decision 1999/468/EC, the EC is required to publish an annual report on the workings of the Committees.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

425 c987-8W;425 c986-7W; 192499

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Committees European Union Meetings EU aid TACIS programme