This Conference will provide further knowledge about how registration processes and indeed registration dossiers can be improved for the future and ensure that, in the years to come, the knowledge generated by REACH will lead to a cleaner environment, a boost in innovation, safety improvements better informed choices by consumers and industry, a more competitive industry and more strength on the global markets".

The conference was provided with comprehensive information on the MEDA -funded co-operation activities for industrial and private sector development, both at regional and bilateral level.

A comprehensive new survey to be presented tomorrow at a conference in Brussels sheds light on major social trends in Europe.

(228) With regard to the statement made by the Belgian authorities in December 2003 that the result for 2003 expected by BSCA, and announced at a press conference on 15 November 2003, is tantamount to a EUR 1500000 profit - the data for which remain to be substantiated and should be certified by the company's auditors - as against a planned loss of EUR 1066000 mentioned in the 2001 business plan(85), the Commission notes first of all that these are data obtained a posteriori which cannot serve to clarify BSCA's decision at the time when the facts took place in July 2001.

If the minister does not have the answer today, would she try to enlighten us as to what this conference was all about?

We view this as being an interim position or a position that we take going into the conference that will be susceptible to change as Canada emerges from the Kyoto conference hopefully better enlightened about what the world community is ready to do and committed to develop a real action plan and not allow this issue again to go back to, not to put a pun on it, the back burner of the cabinet.