§ 11.12 a.m.
§ Baroness LLEWELYN-DAVIES of HASTOEMy Lords, a Statement is being made today in another place about business to be taken during June 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 June. The monthly written forecast was deposited on Monday 22nd May.
§ "At present, six meetings of the Council of Ministers are proposed for June. The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 6th June and again on 26th and 27th June. The Transport Council will meet on 12th June, the Finance Council on 19th June, the Agriculture Council on 19th and 20th June and the Social Affairs Council on 29th June. In addition, it is probable that Fisheries Ministers will meet on or around 19th June.
§ "The Foreign Affairs Council is expected to review progress on the common strategy for growth and employment which is to be considered at the European Council at Bremen. Within this framework Ministers will discuss questions of economic and trade policy and their consequences for Community industry. The Council will continue its discussion of the Commission's survey of the implications of enlargement (known as the fresco'), and will also consider a progress report on the Greek accession negotiations and the Commission's opinion on Portugal's application for membership. The Council will also discuss the Community's relations with the Council of Mutual Economic Assistance (which is the economic grouping of the Soviet Union and 1044 its allies sometimes known as COMECON), progress in trade negotiations with Yugoslavia, relations between the Community and Australia, a report by the Commission on their contacts with the Japanese Government and a Commission communication on shipbuilding. The Council will examine the statement to be made by the Community at the opening of renegotiation of the Lomé Convention.
§ "The Transport Council is expected to consider maritime pollution caused by oil-tanker accidents, the United Nations code of conduct for liner conferences, maritime competition by State trading countries of Eastern Europe, priorities for work on civil aviation matters, commercial vehicle taxation systems, drivers' hours, co-operation between railway undertakings and, possibly, the harmonisation of summertime.
§ "The Agriculture Council will consider proposals for the organisation of the markets in mutton and lamb, and in potatoes. Fisheries Ministers may consider the future of reciprocal fishing arrangements with third countries, particularly Norway, Sweden and the Faroes, and may also resume discussion of the revision of the Common Fisheries Policy.
§ "The Finance Council is expected to consider the action needed in pursuit of the common strategy for economic recovery; and, possibly, the draft Directive on life assurance.
§ "The Social Affairs Council is expected to consider aids to promote the employment of young people, an action programme on safety and health at work, a proposal for protecting workers exposed to the gas vinyl chloride monomer used in the manufacture of PVC plastic material, and a Commission statement on the European Trade Union Institute. Members are also expected to consider the implications for the free movement of labour of the transfer of workers between Member States during industrial disputes"