” ” After the presentation of the six-month programme of the current presidency of the EU by Nicolas Sarkozy at the European Parliament last week, now’s time for the meeting between the French Ministers and the EU Parliament’s Commissions. From today to Thursday, the Ministers, who are also the current presidents of the EU Cabinets, will discuss the priorities of the French programme, the bills of law under way in Strasbourg and Brussels, and topical political issues. The first meeting planned for today will be with Bernard Kouchner, Paris’s Minister of foreign and European affairs, who will be accompanied by the Secretary of State Jean-Pierre Jouyet. The latter will have to closely follow, as usual, the Parliament’s and Commission’s sessions to liaise with President Sarkozy. The EU Parliament has 20 specialist commissions, which, each one in its own field, develop and vote on bills of law and initiative reports. In addition, they review the bills of law submitted by the EU Commission and EU Council and if needed draw up reports to be submitted to the plenary sessions.
