Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
Coordinator
NGO Working Group on EDC
153 rue Chapel Street, #104
Ottawa, ON K1N 1H5
CANADA

Dear Mr. Reilly-King,

Thank you for your letter, dated 2 October 2003, concerning the visit of a delegation of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy to Rosia Montana, Romania. I noted both the various aspects of the possible implementation of a gold/silver mining project in Rosia Montana – as described in your letter – and the great importance attached by many representatives of civil society both in Romania and abroad, including, of course, the NGO Working Group on the EDC, to the visit of Members of the European Parliament to Rosia Montana.

At its meeting of 25 September 2003, the Conference of Presidents of Parliament’s political groups considered a request from the above Committee to send a delegation to Rosia Montana on 16-17 October 2003. The Conference of Presidents noted that the proposed dates coincided with a week having been set aside for political group meetings. In accordance with long-established practice, no delegations are authorized during such weeks and as a consequence, the Conference of Presidents has not authorized the delegation in question.

However, the Committee concerned has been invited to reconsider the timing of its planned visit in such a way so as it would not interfere with possible political group meetings scheduled for these dates.

Yours sincerely,

Pat Cox

Copy: Mrs. C. Jackson, Chairman of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy