§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for March, and to list major EU events for the next six months.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)Monthly Forecast of business for March 1997
The following Councils are scheduled:
March 1–2: Development Aid Council (Informal)
March 2–3: Education Council (Informal)
March 3–4: Environment Council
March 6: Telecommunications Council
March 10: Internal Market Council
March 11–12: Transport Council
March 14–15: Social Affairs Council (Informal)
March 17: Ecofin Council
March 17–18: Agriculture Council
March 24–25: General Affairs Council
The following subjects are likely to be discussed:
March 1–2: Development Aid Council (Informal)
There is no formal agenda.
March 2–3: Education Council (Informal)
There is no formal agenda.
March 3–4: Environment Council
Adoption of the agenda.
Approval of the list of "A" items.
Community Strategy on Climate Change: Council Conclusions.
Commission Communication: Implementing Community Environmental Law: Policy Debate.
Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the signing and conclusion of an International Agreement between the European Community, Canada and the Russian Federation on Humane Trapping Standards: Progress report on negotiations with Third Countries.
Amended proposal for a Council decision on a Community action programme promoting Non-governmental Organisations primarily active in the field of Environmental Protection (Legal basis proposed by the Commission: Article 130S(1)): Common Position.
Future strategy for the control of Atmospheric Emissions from road transport taking into account the results from the auto/oil programme: Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of 100WA the Council relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/12/EEC; Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles and amending Council Directives 70/156/EEC and 70/220/EEC; Second auto/oil programme: Policy Debate.
Proposal for a Council Directive on the reduction of emissions of organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain industrial activities: Policy Debate.
Presentation by the Commission: (possible items).
Proposal for a directive on energy taxes.
Proposal for a framework directive on water.
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Environmental agreements: Policy Debate. Other Business:
Commission communication on environmental taxes and charges in the Single Market: Presentation by the Commission;
Proposal for a directive on Landfill: Presentation by the Commission (possible item);
Report on the workshop for the preparation of the informal Ministerial Meeting on small and medium-sized undertakings and the environment: Presidency Statement;
Re-examination of Directive 90/220/EEC on the deliberate release into the environmental of genetically modified organisms: Statement by the Austrian Delegation;
Taxation of energy and in particular kerosene: Statement by the Austrian Delegation;
Situation regarding the European Agreement on CO2 emissions from cars: French Delegation request for information from the Commission;
First European Conference on the sustainable development of the Islands (Menorca, 23 to 26 April 1997): Information from the Spanish Delegation.
March 6: Telecommunications Council
Adoption of the provisional agenda.
Adoption of the list of "A" points (possible item).
Proposal for a European Parliament and Council directive on the application of open network provision (ONP) to voice telephony and on universal service for telecommunications in a competitive environment (replacing European Parliament and Council Directive 95/62/EC): Common Position (Legal basis proposed by the Commission: Article 100A).
Ongoing Co-decision procedures with the European Parliament Interconnection Directive, TENS Telecoms, Licensing Directive, Satellite S-PCS Decision.
101WAAction Plan from the Commission on satellite communications: Presentation by the Commission (with reference to Action Plan on Space).
UMTS (next generation of mobile communications): Report by the Commission.
Other Business:
WTO negotiations: report by the Commission;
Implementation of telecoms directives.
March 10: Internal Market Council
PARNUTS (Foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses).
Miscellaneous Additives (possible item).
March 11–12: Transport Council
Proposed amendment to Directive 92/14 on phase-out of noisy aircraft: for political agreement on Common Position.
Aviation fuel duty: debate on Resolution calling for Commission study on effects of imposition.
Proposal for mandate for Commission to negotiate Community membership of European Aviation Safety Authority: for debate.
Proposal for mandate for Commission to negotiate Community membership of EUROCONTROL: debate.
Proposed amendment to Regulation 3821/85 to allow for new digital tachograph: Common Position.
Interoperability of Road Pricing Technology: adoption of Resolution.
Proposed Regulation on Pilot Actions for Combined Transport: for political agreement on Common Position.
Proposed directive on Heavy Goods Vehicle Charging and Taxes: debate.
Proposed eighth directive on Summertime: for Common Position.
Negotiations with Switzerland: debate.
Other Business:
Report on transport R&D;
Report on the work of the high-level group on public private partnerships/TENS.
March 14–15: Social Affairs Council (Informal)
There is no formal agenda.
March 17: ECOFIN Council
Preparation of Stage III of EMU.
Convergence programme of France.
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Date Location Event March 1997 1–2 Amsterdam Development Aid Council (Informal) 2–3 Amsterdam Education Council (Informal) 3–4 Brussels Environment Council 6 Brussels Telecommunications Council 10 Brussels Internal Market Council 10–14 Strasbourg European Parliamentary Plenary 11–12 Brussels Transport Council Convergence programme of Germany.
Annual report of the Court of Auditors and budget discharge.
Taxation of energy products.
Solvency Ratio Direct for Credit Institutions (Mortgages) (possible item).
March 17–18: Agriculture Council
Beef labelling/Cattle identification.
Olive oil (possible item).
Arable penalties (possible item).
Agricultural price fixing (possible item).
Veterinary and phytosanitary equivalence agreements.
Structured dialogue with Central and Eastern European countries.
Fruit grubbing-up scheme (possible item)
Honey (possible item).
Agrimony compensation for appreciable revaluations (possible item).
March 24–25: General Affairs Council
First Draft Agenda—likely to change
Former Yugoslavia.
Albania.
Middle East Peace Process.
Relations with Turkey.
Pakistan.
Commercial questions: conclusion of an agreement on Information Technology.
Relations with South Africa.
Preparation of the 23rd ACP-EC Council of Ministers (24–25 April 1997).
Relations with Australia.
Mediterranean Policy.
European Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia.
Transatlantic Relations.
Russia.
Baltic States: European Agreement.
VIIth Ministerial Meeting between the EU and the Rio Group.
European Calendar: March—August 1997
This calendar is primarily concerned with European Union matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.
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104WA 105WA
Date Location Event 13 Brussels Political Committee 14–15 Rotterdam Social Affairs Council (Informal) 15–16 Apeldoorn Gymnich (Informal) 17 Brussels Ecofin Council 17–18 Brussels Agriculture Council 24–25 Brussels General Affairs Council (and IGC Ministerial) April 1997 4–6 Noordwijk Ecofin Council (Informal) 6–8 Maastricht Informal meeting of Cultural Affairs Ministers 7–10 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary 9–11 The Hague Ministerial Conference on Social Integration 10 Brussels Political Committee 10 Luxembourg Consumer Council 14–15 Luxembourg Fisheries Council 17 Luxembourg Social Affairs Council 18–19 Maastricht Post-Lomé Ministerial meeting 18–20 Amsterdam Environment Council (Informal) *20–22 Warsaw Meeting of EU and PHARE—Country Education Ministers 21–22 The Netherlands Political Committee 21–22 Luxembourg Agriculture Council 23 Brussels European Parliament Plenary 24 Luxembourg Industry Council 24–25 Luxembourg ACP/EU Ministerial Conference 24–25 The Hague International Conference on Innovative Research, and Appropriate Health Care for the People of Europe 24–26 The Hague Ministerial Conference on Trafficking in Women 25 Brussels European Parliament Plenary 29–30 Luxembourg General Affairs Council (and IGC Ministerial) May 1997 6–7 Strasbourg Council of Europe Ministerial 12 Brussels Ecofin Council 12–13 Brussels Agriculture Council 12–13 Paris WEU Ministerial 12–16 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary 14–15 Brussels Research Council 15 Brussels Political Committee 20 Brussels Internal Market Council 22 Brussels Political Committee 25–27 Domburg Agriculture Council (Informal) 26 Brussels Energy Council 27–28 Brussels Justice and Home Affairs Council 28–29 Brussels European Parliament Plenary 29 Brussels Telecommunications Council June 1997 2–3 Luxembourg General Affairs Council (and IGC Ministerial) 5 Luxembourg Health Council 5 Luxembourg Development Council 5–6 The Hague K4 Committee 9 Luxembourg Ecofin Council 9–10 Luxembourg Agriculture Council 9–13 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary 10 Luxembourg General Affairs Council (tbc) 12 Luxembourg Social Affairs Council 16–17 Amsterdam European Council 17–18 Luxembourg Transport Council 19 Brussels Political Committee 20–22 Denver G7 23 Luxembourg Fisheries Council 23 Luxembourg Ecofin Council (tbc) 23–24 Luxembourg Environment Council 25–26 Brussels European Parliament Plenary 26 Luxembourg Education Council *26 Luxembourg General Affairs Council 30 Luxembourg Culture Council July 1997 1 Luxembourg Presidency begins 7 Brussels Ecofin Council 10–11 Luxembourg Political Committee 12–13 Luxembourg Labour and Social Affairs Council (Informal) 14–18 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary
Date Location Event 21–22 Brussels Agriculture Council 22–23 Brussels General Affairs Council 24 Brussels Budget Council August 1997 There are no events scheduled for August. *Figures that have changed since last calendar month.