HL Deb 29 November 1977 vol 387 cc1093-5

2.59p.m.

Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOE

My Lords, a Statement was made yesterday in another place about business to be taken during December in the EEC Council of Ministers. With the leave of the House 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 by Ministers of the European Community during December. The monthly written forecast for December was deposited on the 25th November. Heads of Government will meet in Brussels on the 5th and 6th December. At present 7 meetings of the Council of Ministers are proposed for December. Fishery Ministers will meet on the 5th and 6th; Environment Ministers on the 12th and 13th; Energy Ministers on the 13th; Foreign Ministers on the 19th and 20th; Transport Ministers on the 20th and 21st December and Social Affairs Ministers on a date yet to be agreed. In addition there will be a meeting of Community Health Ministers on the 13th December. Fisheries Ministers will continue their discussions on the internal regime of the common fisheries policy. Environment Ministers are expected to consider various proposals relating to the protection of the environment. Agriculture Ministers are expected to have a preliminary discussion on the Common Agricultural Policy price proposals for 1978–79. They are also expected to consider the Commission's report on the use of the European unit of account in the Common Agricultural Policy and proposals for the phasing out of monetary compensatory amounts, as well as proposals for Mediterranean agriculture, producer groups, a sheepmeat regime, import arrangements for beef, chilling processes for poultry meat, and the eradication of brucellosis in cattle. Energy Ministers are expected to discuss the energy situation in the Community and in the world; progress on the achievement of Community energy policy objectives for 1985; nuclear questions; support for joint hydrocarbon exploration projects; financial aid to demonstration projects and a Directive on heat generators. They are also likely to resume their consideration of refining problems within the Community; financial measures to promote the use of coal for electricity generation; and aid for financing cyclical stocks of coal. Foreign Ministers will consider certain external fisheries matters; and the continuation of negotiations on a common fund. There will be a further discussion on steel, and probably on regional policy. The Ministers will also discuss the Community's bilateral textile negotiations and the question of the renewal of the multifibre arrangements; a mandate for EEC/Spain trade negotiations; EEC/Yugoslavia relations; and, possibly, enlargement, Mediterranean agriculture and EEC/Turkey relations. They will also consider direct elections to the European Assembly and certain staff matters. Transport Ministers are expected to consider Community quotas for industrial road haulage between member states; summertime; adjustment of national taxation systems for commercial vehicles; community driving licenses; community investment in transport infrastructure projects; and hijacking and terrorism. They will also follow up the United Kingdom Presidency initiative on the Common Transport Policy with a discussion on the future programme of work on transport subjects. Social Affairs Ministers will consider Commission proposals on youth employment. They may also formally adopt the texts on the review of the Social Fund. A meeting of Health Ministers of Member States will take place in Brussels on the 13th December 1977. This is not a meeting of the Council as such, and will not take formal decisions, but is a meeting arranged within the framework of the Council to give Health Ministers an opportunity to exchange views on common problems.