taking into account all relevant national and regional circumstances, in particular market size, network configuration, actual flows, including outflows from the Member State concerned, the possibility of physical gas flows in both directions including the potential need for consequent reinforcement of the transmission system, the presence of production and storage and the role of gas in the energy mix, in particular with respect to district heating and electricity generation and for the operation of industries, and safety and gas qua ...[+++]lity considerations;

set up, at the earliest opportunity, an Advisory Board (the “EILC Advisory Board”) composed of a representative of each Member State and one representative of the Council of Europe, whose mandate shall be to advise the Commission on technical matters, such as: the specification of the tender for the creation of the testing instruments; the assessment of the work of the contractor; the appropriate arrangements, standards and technical protocols for data-gathering activities in the Member States, taking into consideration the need to prevent undue administrative and financial burdens for the Member States; in order to assist Member St ...[+++]ates to define the organisational and resource implications for them, give this Board the initial task of bringing forward a timetable for the work and a more detailed description of the construction and administration of the tests, including: sample size; preferred testing method, and preferred arrangements for administering the tests, taking the possibilities of e-testing into account; the minimum sample size that should determine whether a test for a particular language shall be made available to Member States; report back in writing to the Council by the end of 2006 on the progress of work and, if appropriate, on any issues outstanding;

As dubious practices and examples of corruption within the establishments are brought to light and opportunities for change present themselves, people take to the streets or organise protests.

The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament met this day at 12:20 p.m., pursuant to rule 86(1)(f)(i), for the consideration of a draft report on procedural considerations arising from the amendments to the Conflict of Interest Code for Senators; for the consideration of a draft budget and the printing of an updated version of the Rules of the Senate of Canada; and to study the Senate committee system as established under rule 86, taking into consideration the size, mandate and quorum of each committee, the total number of committees, and available human and financial resources.

With the general caveats set out above in mind, your Committee has considered the possibility that alterations to the size and/or number of committees would mitigate pressures currently affecting the system.