HL Deb 25 February 1976 vol 368 cc703-4
Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOE

My Lords, a Statement is being made in another place today about business to be taken in the EEC Council of Ministers during March. I will, as usual, arrange for the Statement to be made available in the Official Report.

Following is the Statement referred to:

"With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I will make a Statement about business to be taken in the Council of Ministers of the European Community during March. The monthly forecast for March was deposited yesterday. At present five meetings of the Council of Ministers are proposed for March. Foreign Ministers will meet on 1st and 2nd; Agriculture Ministers on 2nd and 3rd and 15th and 16th; Finance Ministers on 15th and Energy Ministers on 25th March, instead of February as previously forecast. Ministers at the Foreign Affairs Council will consider a Report on direct elections to the European Assembly and preparations for the next European Council on 1st and 2nd April. They will review progress of the work in the four Commissions set up following the Conference on International Economic Cooperation. They will also consider the problems for the Community fishing industry which will be raised by the establishment of the 200-mile economic zones; preparations for the Association Council meeting with Turkey; the Commission report on negotiations with Spain; the agreements with the Maghreb; the opening of negotiations with Greece for a second financial Protocol; tropical products in the context of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations; and relations with the CMEA. Ministers are also likely to consider preparations for the meeting of the UNCTAD Trade and Development Board arranged for 8th-19th March. Agriculture Ministers will continue their discussions on CAP prices for 1976–77 and on measures to improve the Community wine market. They will also discuss amended arrangements for beef imports and a number of measures for improving agricultural structures, and may consider proposals for a Community potato regime and the problems for the Community fishing industry which will be raised by the establishment of 200-mile economic zones. Finance Ministers will make the first formal review in 1976 of the economic situation in the Community following the convergence decision of 18th February 1974. They will also consider Euratom loans for nuclear power stations and hear a report on the first session of the Financial Commission of the Conference on International Economic Co-operation. The Energy Council Ministers will have before them the Commission's proposals to meet the guidelines given by the European Council of 1st-2nd December 1975 for a Community energy policy. These cover mechanisms to protect existing energy resources and the development of alternative sources of energy; also the encouragement of energy conservation. Ministers may also consider other proposals on oil matters which have been submitted to earlier Councils.