HL Deb 28 November 1979 vol 403 cc404-5

2.57 p.m.

Lord DENHAM

My Lords, a Statement is being made in another place about the business to be taken during December in the EEC Council of Ministers. With the leave of the House, I shall, as usual, arrange for the Statement to he made available in the Official Report.

Following is the Statement referred to: With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I will make a Statement about the main business to be taken by Ministers of the European Community during December. The written forecast of business was deposited in the House on Tuesday, 27th November. At present eight meetings of the Council of Ministers are proposed for December. The Fisheries Council will meet on the 3rd and 4th and is expected to discuss the report of the High Level Group of Officials and Third Country Agreements. The Transport Council will meet on the 6th and is expected to discuss Commission reports on the Economic and Financial Situation of the Railways and on Railway Integration; proposals on Community and bilateral road haulage quotas and the liberalisation of own account road goods transport. The council is also expected to consider a Commission memorandum on air transport; consultation procedures on civil aviation matters; the draft Directive on aircraft noise and amendments to the tanker safety Directive. The Agriculture Council will meet on the 10th and 11th and is expected to discuss the common organisation of the markets in sheep-meat, wine, potatoes and ethyl alcohol. The council may also consider aspects of policy regarding agricultural structures; the proposed revision of the sugar market; surpluses in the dairy sector; production refunds for the starch industry; beef import arrangements for 1980 and subsidies paid on Italian imports of feed grain. The Finance Council will meet on the 17th and will discuss such follow-up action as is necessary in the light of decisions reached at the European Council. Ministers will also consider the Commission's draft Annual Report on the Economic Situation in the Community for 1979–80 and its Annual Economic Review for 1979–80. The Environment Council will meet on the 17th and is expected to discuss the proposal to reduce Community use of chlorofluorocarbons; the draft Directive on air quality standards for lead and the draft Directive setting health protection standards for levels of sulphur dioxide and smoke in the atmosphere. There is also expected to be a progress report on the draft proposals setting emission standards and quality objectives for the pesticides aldrin, dieldrin and endrin. The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on the 18th and will review any need for follow-up action arising from the European Council. Ministers are also expected to consider Community measures to combat the crisis in the iron and steel industry in 1980; arrangements for the next phase of the EEC/Cyprus association agreement; proposals for the annual review of Community staff pay and a Commission report on the outcome of the negotiations with the Council for Mutual Economic Aid. In addition, the council is expected to discuss proposals on the co-ordination of training and mutual recognition of qualifications of midwives and Community imports of synthetic textiles from the United States. Progress in the Portuguese accession negotiations is likely to be discussed in the margins of the council. The Research Council will meet on the 20th and is expected to resume discussion of the proposed Community research programmes on fusion and biology-health protection and also the programme of the Community's Joint Research Centre. The Energy Council is expected to meet in the first half of December on a date still to be arranged. No firm agenda has been agreed but the council may consider proposals to assist coal production and consumption in the Community and Member States' oil import targets for 1980.