§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, a Statement is being made in another place today about business to be taken in the EEC Council of Ministers during September. With the leave of the House, I will, as usual, arrange for the Statement to be made available in the Official Report.
The Statement is as follows:
"With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I will make a Statement about business to be taken in the Council of Ministers of the European Community. The Council will not meet during August. The monthly forecast for September was deposited yesterday. It is likely that Foreign Affairs, Finance, Agriculture and Environment Ministers will meet during October, but the dates have not yet been confirmed.
At present six meetings of the Council of Ministers are proposed for September. Foreign Ministers will meet on 15th and 16th; Finance and Budget Ministers on 22nd; Agriculture 1302 Ministers on 9th and 29th and 30th September and Energy Ministers on a date yet to be set.
At the Foreign Affairs Council Ministers will have before them the 1976 scheme of generalised preferences. It is likely that they will have a preliminary discussion of the result of the 7th Special Session of the UN General Assembly which is to take place from 1st to 12th September. Ministers will also have before them progress reports on relations with Portugal and Iceland. There are likely to be discussions on the negotiations with Spain and with the Maghreb; on mandates for negotiations with Malta and the Mashraq and on matters arising out of the EEC/Greece Association Council which was held in Athens on 28th July.
In addition to their usual review of the economic situation in the Community Finance Ministers will have before them proposals for Euratom loans; on joint Community borrowing and on the Community exchange rate system. Ministers at the Budget Council will consider the Communities' preliminary draft budget for 1976.
Agriculture Ministers on 9th September are expected to continue their discussions on the re-structuring of the wine regime and on 29th and 30th September on part of the basic sugar regulation dealing with imports from ACP countries.
Items that may be discussed at the Energy Council include guidelines of a policy for developing energy resources inside the Community and within a wider context of international co-operation, the financing of the energy policy and support for common projects in the hydrocarbons sector.
It is too early to say what the October Councils will consider, but I will deposit in the House at the end of September a written forecast of business likely to be discussed in the Councils in October."