1. Board of directors: questions addressed refer to their effective functioning and ensuring they are composed of a mixed group of people, e.g. by enhancing gender diversity, a variety of professional backgrounds and skills as well as nationalities. Functioning of boards, namely in terms of availability and time commitment of directors are also under scrutiny as well as questions on risk management and directors' pay..

7. Calls on the EU Presidency to sponsor or co-sponsor a resolution to strengthen the special procedures of the UNCHR, including through allocating adequate resources to assist their effective functioning and ensure that their recommendations are produced, distributed and implemented in a timely manner and that provision is made for an adequate follow-up;

4. Calls on the EU Presidency to sponsor or co-sponsor a resolution to strengthen the special procedures of the UNCHR, including through allocating adequate resources to assist their effective functioning and ensure that their recommendations are produced, distributed and implemented in a timely manner;

7. Calls on the Council Presidency to sponsor or co-sponsor a resolution to strengthen the special procedures of the UNCHR, including through allocating adequate resources to assist their effective functioning, and ensure that their recommendations are produced, distributed and implemented in a timely manner and that provision is made for an adequate follow-up;

4. Concerning developments relating directly to the good functioning of the EEA Agreement, the EEA Council: - took note of the interim report for 1995 presented by the Joint Committee and commended the Joint Committee on its work; - expressed its satisfaction at the overall functioning of the Agreement and noted that the EFTA countries, taking part in the EEA, are effectively involved in the evolution of the internal market; - reaffirmed its commitment to the decision-shaping and decision-making procedures provided for in the EEA Agreement; in this context, it underlined the continuing need for the effective functioning of the informa ...[+++]tion and consultation process during the development by the EU of new legislation relevant to the EEA Agreement and for the integration of new Community legislation into the EEA Agreement without delay after its adoption by the Community; - underlined the dynamic character of the Agreement and noted its provisions aimed at further development of the cooperation; - agreed that the provisions of the Agreement concerning cooperation at ministerial level should be fully used in order to allow the EEA Council to fulfil effectively its role which consists in giving the political impetus in the implementation of the Agreement and laying down the general guidelines for the EEA Joint Committee. 5. Concerning relations in the area of foreign policy, the EEA Council: - adopted the joint declaration attached as an Annex to the present conclusions establishing the modalities of a strengthened political dialogue on issues of common interest in the area of foreign policy and undertook an exchange of views on a number of areas of foreign policy of mutual interest; - took note of the readiness of the EU, when it considered appropriate, to invite the EEA states to associate themselves with EU declarations, démarches and joint actions; - welcomed the fact that the implementation of the above-mentioned joint declaration had begun in advance of its ...

Binding arrangements have been agreed as regards future spending on agriculture, ensuring proper compliance with budget limits, but constituting at the same time the right basis for the smooth operation of the CAP, both internally and as regards relations with the outside world.