5/3: Conférence des présidents (body which brings together the president of Parliament and the chairs of the political groups): Points raised by Pat Cox to the group chairs - Poland: scepticism in newly elected Polish parliament. Barcelona: Romano Prodi’s (Commission President) meeting with José María Aznar, President of European Council, to organise Barcelona Summit. Members’ Statute
7/3 : Meeting between Cox and [Diane Abbott, UK MP]: EU and NATO. Cyprus. Barcelona Summit
7/3: Cox Press Conference in Berlin – CAP future of sustainability and subsidies, food safety
7/3: Gerhard Schroeder, German Chancellor, meeting with Cox: between being pro- European and bashing Commission. Need for dialogue in the European Parliament (EP.) Must be responsible for industry and related issued. Cox talks of need to promote closer relationships between the 3 institutions. Schroeder says that EU fails to take account of real situation on the ground. His fear that too much emphasis is placed on financial services and not on real economy and industry. Commission has produced White Paper on chemical industry which he says spells the death knell of the chemical industry in Germany. Schroeder appreciates that Commission can’t take into account the differences in each member state but Commission going in Neo-Liberal direction, its position is purely theoretical, it should instead have an understanding of special features of larger member states
11/3: Meeting between Tony Blair, UK Prime Minister and Cox: Need for President of EP and Parliament to have real powers. EP should be seen as having reformist direction in EU. Transatlantic relations, EU-US fallout would be very corrosive. Blair says language is very important when speaking to British media about Euro.
11/3: Cox on Umberto Bossi, Italian politician: Method of his expression very offensive but not for EP to comment on Italian politics
13/3: Meeting between Cox, Ana Palacio, Spanish politician and Josep Piqué, Spanish Foreign Minister in preparation for Barcelona Summit
14/3: Cox discussions with Harley and communications team: should EP buy advertising space in papers either on Convention or on plenary decisions. Discuss other methods of communications such as video-streaming
15-16/3: Barcelona Summit: organisation and notes for conclusions
18/3: Barcelona de-briefing
19/3: Cox meeting with Philip Gould, Tony Blair’s communications expert: 2004 European elections. Cox warns against a "designer Europe". UK should give credit to the EU when due. Not fault of EP for low turnout in UK for European elections

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