<s>[INST] The next text is a question of a member of the European parliament:"On 11 December 2002 the Commission issued a communication entitled """"""""A framework for target-based tripartite contracts and agreements between the Community, the States and regional and local authorities"""""""" (COM(2002) 709), dealing with the subject of tripartite contracts.  This communication does not wholly achieve its intended aim.  Despite the Commission's verbal undertakings, the subsequent plans of the Commissioner and DG responsible appear to point in the opposite direction.  The Commission selected two initiatives with a view to drawing up environmental pilot contracts by the end of 2002.  This venture, which is to be applauded, will require substantial support in terms of funding and human resources.  How will the Commission involve the EP where tripartite contracts are concerned?  Given that the White Paper assigns a key role to central government in laying down and implementing tripartite contracts, how will it involve the Member States?  How will it pursue its activities at the practical level? Specifically, which directorates-general and units will be involved for that purpose?  How will it allocate responsibilities and human resources among the directorates-general and units so as to enable all the parties concerned to obtain assistance?  When will it act on the verbal undertakings that it gave to Parliament's Environment Committee at the meeting of 2 October 2002?  How will it cover the projects from the financial point of view?"
Analyze carefully the text and assign it to the most relevant policy area among those listed below. Do not explain your answer and return only a number.
Policy area numbers: 1 = Macroeconomics
2 = Civil Rights, Minority Issues and Civil Liberties
3 = Health
4 = Agriculture and Fisheries
5 = Labour, employment and pensions
6 = Education
7 = Environment
8 = Energy
9 = Immigration
10 = Transportation
12 = Law and Crime
13 = Social welfare
14 = Regional and Urban issues and Planning
15 = Banking, finance and domestic commerce issues
16 = Defence
17 = Space, science, technology, and communications issues
18 = Foreign trade
19 = International affairs and foreign aid
20 = Governance and government
21 = Public Lands, Water Management and Territorial Issues
23 = Culture and media
[/INST]. Answer = [7]. </s>
On 11 December 2002 the Commission issued a communication entitled """"""""A framework for target-based tripartite contracts and agreements between the Community, the States and regional and local authorities"""""""" (COM(2002) 709), dealing with the subject of tripartite contracts.  This communication does not wholly achieve its intended aim.  Despite the Commission's verbal undertakings, the subsequent plans of the Commissioner and DG responsible appear to point in the opposite direction.  The Commission selected two initiatives with a view to drawing up environmental pilot contracts by the end of 2002.  This venture, which is to be applauded, will require substantial support in terms of funding and human resources.  How will the Commission involve the EP where tripartite contracts are concerned?  Given that the White Paper assigns a key role to central government in laying down and implementing tripartite contracts, how will it involve the Member States?  How will it pursue its activities at the practical level? Specifically, which directorates-general and units will be involved for that purpose?  How will it allocate responsibilities and human resources among the directorates-general and units so as to enable all the parties concerned to obtain assistance?  When will it act on the verbal undertakings that it gave to Parliament's Environment Committee at the meeting of 2 October 2002?  How will it cover the projects from the financial point of view?