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Committee Mandates

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what the mandate of the Joint Committee (EEC-Yemen) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement; [58474]

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Peter Hain: The EU has external agreements with a large number of third countries. These agreements include an article establishing an official level committee to oversee implementation of the agreement. This committee is known as a joint or association committee depending on the nature of the agreement (ie whether it is a Trade and Co-operation Agreement or an Association Agreement). The mandate of the committee is to ensure the effective implementation of the agreement. Specific provisions for the powers or provisions of the committees are set out in the individual agreements.

The range of work covered by such committees includes economic and trade issues, technical co-operation and, in the case of Association Agreements, political dialogue. The committees are required to meet at regular intervals, usually annually. The UK is represented at the committee at official level, normally by officials from the UK Permanent Representation in Brussels (when the meeting is in Brussels) or by British embassy or high commission officials (when meetings take place in the third country concerned). It is not possible to disaggregate the cost of the committees to public funds as they are part of the EU's wider relations with third countries. Parliament has the opportunity to scrutinise each third

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country agreement. Mixed competence agreements have to be ratified by all member states. Community-only agreements are considered by the parliamentary Scrutiny Committees prior to their conclusion.

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the mandate of the Committee for Protection Against the Effects of the Extra-territorial Application of Legislation Adopted by a Third Country and Actions Based Thereon or Resulting Therefrom (anti-boycott) is; how many times it has met over the last 12 months; what the UK representation on it is; what the annual cost of its work is to public funds; if he will list the items currently under its consideration; if he will take steps to increase its accountability and transparency to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [55391]

Ms Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.

It was intended that a Committee for Protection Against the Effects of the Extraterritorial Application of Legislation Adopted by a Third Country and Actions Based Thereon or Resulting Therefrom (anti-boycott) would be established in Brussels to assist EU companies affected by extraterritorial jurisdiction by third countries, and in particular those affected by the extraterritorial aspects of the US trade sanctions against Cuba, Iran and Libya.

Thus far, the Committee has not been convened. UK companies are obliged to inform Her Majesty's Government and the European Commission of any extraterritorial action taken against them, but while it is clear who would be responsible for representing the UK at any meeting of the Committee, in these times of improved electronic communication, it has not been necessary in practice for it to meet.

In addition, as part of the 1997 Understanding between the EU and the US, the US undertook to exempt European individuals and companies from the extraterritorial aspects of US legislation drastically reducing the number of cases occurring, thus further reducing the need for the Committee to meet.

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