COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS.

European Agriculture and Fisheries Commissioner Franz Fischler will join the Committee of the Regions' for a plenary session in Brussels on 14 and 15 June which will debate five separate Opinions on agriculture. The draft Opinions on agriculture cover a wide range of areas: from the forthcoming round of World Trade Organisation negotiations, in the course of which the aim is to defend and reaffirm European agriculture's development model, to ramblers' rights throughout Europe, via the production of flax and hemp, the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and the development of the competitiveness of the rural economy. The other main Opinions include the environment and training: four Opinions on the environment look at different ways of shaping future environmental policy pending the Sixth environmental action programme. Four Opinions on training will enable the Committee of the Regions to make an effective contribution to the debate being conducted at the European Parliament, which will be adopting its own documents in July.The 20 Opinions up for debate are:1. Commission Communication on the global assessment of the EU programme of policy and action in relation to the environment and sustainable development, "Towards sustainability" (Fifth Environmental Action Programme) - drafted by Ms Eva-Riitta Siitonen (Mayor of Helsinki, FIN/PPE) and Ms Carolina Jacobs (Member of the Gelderland Provincial Executive, NL/PSE);2. Proposal for a Council Decision creating a European Refugee Fund - drafted by Mr Anthony Vessey (Member of Cavan County Council, IRL/AE);3. Reform of the CAP - Developing rural competitiveness - drafted by Ms Joan Mitchell (Member of Dumfries and Galloway Council, UK/ELDR);4. Negotiation position on agriculture for the next WTO round - drafted by Mr Hannu Penttila (Leader of Hame province, FIN/PSE) and Mr Reinhold Bocklet (Bavarian Minister of State for Federal and European Affairs, D/PPE);5. Common agricultural policy and the conservation of Europe's cultural landscape - drafted by Mr Axel Endlein (Landrat, Chairman of the German Association of District Councils, D/PSE);6. The accessibility of rural areas - drafted by Mr Wim van Gelder (Queen's Commissioner in the Province of Zeeland, NL/PPE) and Mr Torchio (Mayor of Spineda, I/PPE);7. Commission Communication on integrating conventional rail systems: proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the interoperability of the trans-European...