06.10.2014
The priorities of Italy as it holds the six-monthly presidency of the Council of the European Union will be outlined on Thursday 9 October by the Ambassador of Italy to the United Kingdom, His Excellency, Pasquale Terracciano.
The Ambassador will address the European and External Relations Committee in public at 10.20am. Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Convener Christina McKelvie MSP explained:
“This is sure to be an interesting session. The priorities of the Italian presidency echo many of those of the people of Scotland that. Economic growth is an area of strong joint interest as we all strive to overcome the recent recession.
“Record levels of voters engaged with September’s independence referendum and I expect our Committee will be keen to explore the work Italy plans to promote citizens’ rights and engagement in the work of the Council of the European Union.”
On 1 July 2014, Italy took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Growth and employment, strengthening citizens’ rights and a stronger role for Europe in the world will be Italy’s priorities during its Presidency. The Italian presidency coincides with the first six months of a new European Parliament which was elected in May. It is also during the Italian Presidency that a new European Commission is due to take office.
Ahead of the Ambassador’s evidence, the Committee will hear from the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Relations Fiona Hyslop MSP on the issues that the Scottish Government has identified as being of importance to Scotland during the Italian Presidency. In particular, the Committee will scrutinise the Scottish Government’s engagement activity in the four policy areas where it seeks to play a distinctive role: Energy and Climate Change; Marine Environment; Research and Creativity; and Freedom, Security and Justice.
Background
European and External Relations Committee Meeting Thursday 09 October 2014, The Robert Burns Room, Committee Room 1 begins at 9.00.
The Committee meeting will be webcast: www.scottish.parliament.uk/tv or tickets can be booked via email sp.bookings@scottish.parliament.uk / 0131 348 5200 or freephone 0800 092 7600 (Textphone users: 0800 092 7100).
Photographs of the event will be available free of charge. Please contact the Parliament’s Media Relations Office to obtain.
Committee twitter feed: @SP_European