INTER-INSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT ON BUDGETARY
DISCIPLINE AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE BUDGETARY PROCEDURE (5973/06,
6426/06)
Letter from the Chairman to Rt Hon Douglas
Alexander MP, Minister for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Thank you for Explanatory Memorandum 5973/06
which Sub-Committee A considered at their meeting on 14 March
and decided to hold under scrutiny.
The Committee share your concern over the proposal
to increase the funding available for the Flexibility Instrument
from €200 million to €700 million. We do not consider
that the Commission's document makes the case for this change
and would like to be kept updated on negotiations. The Committee
note that your EM does not indicate the Government's position
on the new Globalisation Adjustment Fund. Whilst we understand
that this results from the December Council agreement, we would
appreciate details of your analysis of it.
15 March 2006
Letter from Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP
to the Chairman
Thank you for your letter of 15 March, in which
you ask for details of the Government's analysis of the Globalisation
Adjustment Fund.
The December European Council agreed to establish
a Globalisation Adjustment Fund of up to €500 million a year,
financed through underspends in the budget. The purpose of the
Fund is to provide support for workers made redundant as a result
of major structural changes in world trade patterns. This will
not be a fund that protects companies that need to restructure;
it will be a fund that helps people to retrain, reskill and find
new jobs. This Government believes that the Fund could play a
useful role in helping the EU respond to the challenges of globalisation.
On 1 March, the European Commission published
a formal proposal (COM (2006) 91 final) for a Regulation of the
European Parliament and the European Council establishing the
Fund. This Government will deposit an Explanatory Memorandum setting
out its position on the proposal in Parliament on 29 March.
At present, I have nothing further to report
with regard to the renewal of the Interinstitutional Agreement
on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budget procedure.
However, I shall keep you updated on the negotiations as requested.
28 March 2006
Letter from the Chairman to Rt Hon Douglas
Alexander MP
Thank you very much for your Explanatory Memorandum
6426/06 which Sub-Committee A considered at their meeting on 28
March. The Sub-Committee have decided to hold the document under
scrutiny and would like to be kept updated on future negotiations.
30 March 2006
| 
