In total, the committee received over 75 written responses, covering the public and private sector, as well as individuals, and from sectors such as local government, education, sport, the environment, business, the voluntary sector and the professions.

The ideas and suggestions in the written submissions form the backbone of the committees new work programme for January 2000 to June 2001. In this way, the committee is confident that the issues it decides to work on are exactly those being called for by business, organisations and individuals in Scotland.

Speaking after the committee meeting, Convener Hugh Henry MSP said –

"I am delighted to have agreed the first stages of our ambitious programme of work which the committee itself will be pushing forward. Whilst of course we must always respond to any new work load given to us by the Scottish Executive and the European institutions, the committee itself wants to be pro-active in pushing forward the bigger ideas for debate, on behalf of the people of Scotland"

"The fact that we have developed our work programme directly from the submissions of different organisations, and joined these with the views of our elected members, shows that we take the issue of consultation very seriously indeed"

"I am sure people will agree that these issues, which we will be inquiring into over the next year and a half are very important, very challenging and affect peoples daily lives, over and above simple issues of funding from Europe. The European Union is much more than just about funding, although that is important, and we wanted to highlight this"

The issues agreed at the meeting of the 7 December 1999, were as follows:

1. Policy implications of the European Commission’s 6^th Environmental Action Plan
2. Preparation for, and policy implications of, the single currency
3. Implementation of European legislation in the agricultural sector in Scotland
4. A review of the European List 1 designated diseases Infectious Salmon Anaemia and Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia in Scotland
5. European education and training initiatives: the policy implications, take-up of programmes and future changes
6. Community economic development and the role of the EU
7. A review of European initiatives in the field of tourism, culture and sport
8. Promoting links through European networks
9. Human rights (issue to be finalised)
10. Enlargement of the EU and the challenges and opportunities facing Scotland
11. Improving the provision of information on EU issues in Scotland
12. European law and the implications for Scottish justice

BACKGROUND NOTES