I have written several times before about the organic rhythm of the Committee’s meetings cycle. This is common to all of the institutions and organisations I have worked in and for. Among other things, this reliably-structured approach means that processes can be carefully planned and prepared. Thus, in addition to the traditional preparatory work for the plenary session this afternoon’s Bureau meeting held an orientation debate for the preparation of the Committee’s 2013 draft budget. In this context there are still a lot of ‘known unknowns’. Still, it makes good sense for the Committee to debate and build the drafting process thoroughly. For small, skinny institutions, ‘cuts’ very quickly go to the bone. The Committee has to be ready to identify areas of activity which, whilst ideally desirable, may have to be reduced or (temporarily) abandoned or, alternatively, find other ways of doing things.