Local Newspaper Column - january 2005

Written by Elspeth Attwooll on Sat 1st Jan 2005

Last week in the European Parliament started with members of the Fisheries Committee visiting the "Jean Charcot", a fisheries inspection vessel berthed briefly in Brussels but just about to set off on patrol in the North Atlantic.

I was quite surprised to find people on board wearing the kilt but it turned out that the company from which the vessel is chartered is a Scots one. We all gained a great deal from the visit but I found it particularly interesting for my own upcoming report on the proposal to set up a Community Fisheries Control Agency.

Work during the rest of the week, though, concentrated on two other committees. One was Employment and Social Affairs, which is currently discussing possible changes in the rules relating to working time. The other was Regional Development, where, of course, the major issue is the future of European funding.

The three Scots MEPs who are members have arranged for a delegation from the committee to visit Scotland in the middle of March. We plan to show everyone how European funds have been used to deal with problems both in urban and in rural areas, particularly those affected by remoteness and sparse populations. Ideally this will take in some of the central belt, the South of Scotland and parts of the Highlands and Islands.

Given that we shall have less than three days and want also to have meetings with the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Executive and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the schedule is going to be a very tight one. But we think we have nearly got it sorted.

The Scots MEPs are also involved in a fund-raising event for Mercy Corps Scotland, in the form of a Burns Supper here in Brussels. It was very successful last year (although due to misunderstandings the cranachan had something of the consistency of wet cement). We have left it off the menu this time, so are hoping for even greater success. This is especially so financially, given Mercy Corps major involvement in providing aid for victims of the tsunami.