Moving the EU Forward - consultative session

4.12.07pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 15th Sep 2006

Here is the latest version of the consultation document which will be discussed on Saturday 16th at conference in the Edinburgh Room, Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel at 3pm. (You will also find a formatted Word file to download in the members' folder.)

SETTING THE AGENDA

A Consultation Session for Liberal Democrat Party members to consider current topical issues in the EU.

Presented by:

· Diana Wallis MEP (Leader of the Lib Dem MEPs)

· Elspeth Attwooll MEP

· Chris Davies MEP

· Fiona Hall MEP

· Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP

· Bill Newton Dunn MEP

Brighton Conference Hilton Brighton Metropole, Edinburgh Room

Saturday 16 September 2006 15.00 - 17.30

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Chair: Diana Wallis MEP, Leader of the Lib Dem MEPs in the European Parliament

Rapporteur: Deborah Newton-Cook

Session 1: 15.00-15.30 "The EU and Enlargement: how big? All MEPs

Session 2: 15.30-16.00"The EU in the World: getting it's act together?" BND/SL/FH

Session 3: 16.00-16.30"The EU and its citizens: delivering justice and security?" SL/DW/BND

Session 4: 16.30-17.00"The EU and the Environment: saviour or destroyer?" CD/EA

Session 5: 17.00-17.30"The EU and democracy: still many closed doors?" DW/CD

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Session 1: 15.00-15.30. "The EU and Enlargement: how big?"

• Which countries should be on the 'potential candidate' list? The Balkan countries, including Montenegro and Kosovo? The Isle of Man, Liechtenstein? Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia? Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova? Russia, Belarus, Armenia? Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan? Chechnya? Israel, Lebanon? Others?

• Should the UK decide future accessions by a vote in Parliament and/or by a national referendum?

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Session 2: 15.30-16.00 "The EU in the World: getting its act together?"

• Does the European Union need its own FBI, in order to fight against the increasingly powerful cross-border criminals?

• Should we consider the creation of an EU Fundamental Rights Agency to provide the impartial and authoritative assessments of respect for Human Rights within the EU?

• Should there be a Human rights clause in all EU trade and financial protocols and how can this be enforced?

• How could the EU become more effective in its support of development, democracy and good governance?

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Session 3: 16.00-16.30

"The EU and its citizens: delivering justice and security?"

• Should the UK the EU Schengen Area with its reduced controls of passports and visas for people crossing national borders?

• Should the UK maintain its opt-in and opt -out position which allows it to cherry-pick justice and home affairs legislation with minimal consideration to the impact on citizens' lives?

• What improvements could we consider to give EU citizens better access to justice?

• We are still achieving the Internal Market, but do we have the counter-balance of access to justice?

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Session 4: 16.30-17.00 "The EU and the Environment: saviour or destroyer?"

• Is enough bing done to tackle climate change?

• How can energy efficiency standards be raised in Europe and globally?

• How can renewables best be developed in order to tackle climate change and increase security of supply?

• What mandatory minimum standards should apply to every Member State to ensure that environmental inspections take place and accurate information is supplied to the Commission?

• How can the Commission take a pro-active stance to environmental law enforcement, accelerating the inquiry process and swiftly naming and shaming those Member States that fail to transpose and implement legislation on time?

• Should legislative proposals recommend minimum penalties to be applied by the Member States? Should these be criminal penalties?

• Should the 'precautionary principle' apply in the EU's Common Fisheries Policy to allow fish stocks to be replenished? What should we do with Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and Quotas system?

• Should certain fishing practices - including the discarding of fish - be banned altogether on fish welfare/environmental grounds, even though there will be economic implications?

• What improvements should be considered following the introduction of Regional Advisory Councils?

• What steps do we need to consider, to continue the process of CAP reform? Future of the Single Farm Payment; payment to farmers for being guardians of the environment? What should happen to the CAP in the long term?

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Session 5: 17.00-17.30 "The EU and democracy: still many closed doors?"

• How can we improve contact with and involvement of EU citizens in the EU decision-making process?

• How can we improve the quality and width of input we get from the UK regions? Panels, questionnaires, focus groups?

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