20 January 1999

Restricted
No. 99/26

Reference documents
– CM/Del/Dec(98)648/2.7
– CM/Inf(98)50, (99)5

– GR-EU(99)1, 2, 3 and 4

657/2.5
(A level, 20-21 January 1999)

RELATIONS BETWEEN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

The Rapporteur Group GR-EU, at its meeting on 19 January 1999, considered the following items:

1. Draft agreement between the European Community and the Council of Europe for the purpose of establishing close cooperation between the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia and the Council of Europe

2. Preparation of the 13^th Quadripartite meeting (Strasbourg, 10 February 1999)

3. Cooperation in the legal field ("K4")

4. Other business.

The synopsis of the meeting is issued separately (see document GR-EU(99)4).

It is recalled, where the draft Agreement (under item 1) is concerned, that the Deputies, at their 648^th meeting (November 1998, item 2.7), reaffirmed the position they adopted at their 613^th meeting (item 2.3) with regard to the draft Agreement on cooperation between the European Union’s Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia and the Council of Europe.

This position was to agree to paragraphs 6 to 8 of the draft Agreement, as follows (Appendix 3 to CM/Del/Dec(97)613):

It may be noted that the text in the latest draft Agreement is substantially the same.

"II. Cooperation

6. Regular consultations shall be held between ECRI and the Centre to coordinate their activities and in particular draw up the Centre’s work programme. The purpose of the consultations shall be to ensure that the programmes of the two bodies complement each other and to avoid, insofar as possible, insofar as possible, unnecessary duplication.

7. Further, on the basis of such consultation, it may be agreed that ECRI and the Centre should conduct joint and/or complementary activities on subjects of common interest. The aim of such cooperation would be to optimise total resources available, notably as regards scientific research projects.

III. Appointment by the Council of Europe of a prominent figure to serve on the Centre’s Management Board

8. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall appoint an independent person from among the members of the ECRI to serve on the Centre’s Management Board, together with a substitute. This question shall be dealt with in the context of the regular contacts between the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the European Commission".

Item 2.5

a.

(CM/Del/Dec(98)648/2.7, CM/Inf(99)5, GR-EU(99)3 and 4)

The Deputies

1. took note of the report of the Chairman of the Rapporteur Group GR-EU on the meeting held on 19 January 1999 [including synopsis, document GR-EU(99)4];

2. took note of the approval on the European Union side of the text of the draft agreement between the European Community and the Council of Europe for the purpose of establishing close cooperation between the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia and the Council of Europe, as set out in document CM/Inf(99)5, and themselves approved this text;

3. authorised the Secretary General to sign the above Agreement on behalf of the Council of Europe [on the occasion of the 13^th Quadripartite meeting in Strasbourg on 10 February 1999].

Item 2.5

b.

(CM/Del/Dec(98)648/2.7, GR-EU(99)1, 2, 3 and 4)

The Deputies took note that the draft agenda for the 13^th Quadripartite meeting (Strasbourg, 10 February 1999, 3-5 pm), subject to confirmation at the meeting of the relevant Working Party of the Council of the European Union, meeting in Brussels on 25 January 1999, will be as follows:

1. Topical issues

2. Areas of mutual interest

3. Other business,

on the understanding that the discussions could include:

- the 50^th Anniversary of the Council of Europe;

- the implementation of the Action plan adopted by the Summit in the light of the report of the Wise Persons;

- an exchange of views concerning matters relating to the following countries:

- Bosnia and Herzegovina;

- Croatia;

- Albania;

- Kosovo;

- Moldova.

- relations between the Social Development Fund and the European Community.