Ministerial Brussels Visit June 2011

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A decision made on 9 August 2011:

Decision Reference: MD-C-2011-0097
Decision Summary Title :	Ministerial Visit to Brussels – June 2011		Date of Decision Summary:	5th August 2011
Decision Summary Author:	International Affairs Officer		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	Overview of Ministerial visit to Brussels – June 2011		Date of Written Report:	5th August 2011
Written Report Author:	International Affairs Officer		Written Report : Public or Exempt? (State clauses from Code of Practice booklet)	Public
Subject: Ministerial Visit to Brussels – June 2011: presentation of report
Decision(s): The Chief Minister approved the Ministerial Visit to Brussels – June 2011 report and agreed that it should be presented to the States at the earliest opportunity.
Reason(s) for Decision: The Chief Minister wishes to provide States Members with an overview of the recent Ministerial visit to Brussels and provide an insight into the substance and importance of engagement with Europe.
Resource Implications: There are no resource implications arising from this decision.
Action required: International Affairs Officer to forward the report to the States Greffe and Publications Editor with a request that it be presented to the States as soon as practicable.
Signature:		Position: Senator T.A. Le Sueur, Chief Minister
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):

Ministerial Brussels Visit June 2011

Chief Minister’s Department

Ministerial visit to Brussels – June 2011

My time in Brussels provided the opportunity to discuss European matters of interest to Jersey at the highest levels and demonstrate Jersey’s willingness to engage positively with our European neighbours.

In my meeting with Sir Kim Darroch ,KCMG, the UK’s Representative to the European Union, we discussed the wide range of areas in which it was necessary for the Channel Islands to engage with Europe, including shipping and aviation, financial services and taxation, and how the UK Representative Office and the Channel Islands Brussels Office will work together.

I later met with members of the Cabinets of José Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, and Algirdas Semeta, Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union, Audit and Anti-Fraud. The Cabinets of the European Commission are made up of the most senior political and policy advisors in Europe and it was invaluable to be able to meet and explain how the Islands are affected by European laws and regulations.

In my meeting with a senior advisor to José Manuel Barroso I explained the wide range of areas in which decisions made in Europe directly affected Islanders, from fisheries and agriculture to data protection and intellectual property. In discussions with one of Algirdas Semeta’s senior advisors I highlighted Jersey’s status as a well regulated, transparent and cooperative jurisdiction meeting the highest international standards, including on anti money laundering and combating terrorist financing.

During the visit I was able to visit the Channel Islands Brussels Office and learn all about the good work they have been doing to represent Jersey and the Channel Islands. We are discussing with our Guernsey counterparts how Members in both Islands can be kept informed of the work being undertaken by the Channel Islands Brussels Office.

Our neighbours in Lower Normandy also have a Brussels office and I met them to learn more about their activities in Brussels and their project to secure EU funding for a pan European tourist promotion project on the ‘Liberation Route’.

Costs

In line with usual practice, all Ministerial expenses will be published at the end of the year, but in order to increase transparency I can confirm that the cost of the trip to Brussels was approximately £900. This covered the cost of my travel, accommodation and incidental expenses.

Senator T.A. Le Sueur

Chief Minister