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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 aid for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 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; and if he will make a statement. [192500] Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Greek presidency of the European Union occupied the first six months of 2003. The CARDS Committee met four times during the Greek presidency: 6 Feb 2003; 26 March 2003; 24 April 2003 and 21 May 2003. All meetings were held in Brussels and the UK was represented by DFID and the United Kingdom Representation in Brussels (UKREP). The CARDS (Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development, and Stabilisation) Committee oversees the implementation of council regulation 2666/2000 of 5 December 2000, the instrument for Commission assistance for the western Balkans region. The CARDS Management Committee is convened and constituted by member states to assist the Commission with the implementation of the Community's CARDS programme. It operates independently of the presidency. The Committee determines the strategy framework for CARDS 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 c988W;425 c987W; 192500

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Committees European Union Meetings Albania Croatia Reconstruction EU aid North Macedonia Serbia and Montenegro