Foreign Affairs Council (Hansard, 24 February 1982)

§ Mr. Humphrey Atkins

I represented Her Majesty's Government on 22 February and my right hon. and noble Friend was present for the discussions that took place on 23 February.

On 22 February, the Council discussed relations with Japan and agreed that the new trade measures recently announced by the Japanese Government showed an encouraging awareness of the problem; but that their practical effect on trade would be very limited and that more fundamental measures were required. The Council decided that the possibilities for future Community action should be studied urgently and called for a report to be submitted in time for its next meeting on 22–23 March.

The Ministers heard reports by the Commission and the Presidency on recent high-level discussions with the United States Administration covering trade and economic issues—including European Community steel exports and United States interest rates.

The Council briefly discussed Community membership of the sixth international tin agreement and agreed to discuss it in more detail next month with a view to taking a decision. There was also a brief discussion of the international natural rubber agreement and it was agreed that those member States which had not yet done so should make every effort to complete the procedures for ratification before the proposed new deadline of 15 April.

The Council met the President and representatives of the European Parliament to seek agreement on a management regulation for the Community's food aid programme. It was decided that there should be further informal contacts between the Presidents of the Council and of the Parliament.

The negotiations for Portugal's accession to the Community continued with a further meeting at ministerial 438W level, at which provisional agreement was reached on almost all the outstanding points in five chapters of the negotiations: capital movements, transport, economic and financial questions, regional policy and Euratom.

On steel, Ministers agreed that the 1982 voluntary restraint arrangements with certain major third country suppliers would include a clause providing for a mid-year review of quantities. They also reached agreement on the financing of steel social measures—in the case of cne member State, ad referendum —and on an increase in the ceiling of 55 million ECU for the funding of demonstration projects in energy saving and new sources of energy.

On 23 February, a large majority of member States agreed that imports of manufactured and luxury goods from the Soviet Union should be reduced. The Council invited the Commission to make a proposal as soon as possible. The Ministers also approved a further 8 million ECU humanitarian aid for Poland to be distributed through non-governmental organisations.

There was discussion of the procedure for handling the 30 May mandate. Ministers agreed to devote the second day of the next Foreign Affairs Council—23 March—to this subject. The Presidents of the Council and the Commission will undertake a series of bilateral contacts before that meeting.

The Foreign Ministers also discussed an interim report on the German/Italian draft Act on European Union. They agreed that work should continue with a view to producing a revised draft for them to consider, probably at the meeting on 24 May.

In discussions in the political co-operation framework, the Ten Foreign Ministers had discussions on Turkey and decided thatMr. Tindemans in the political co-operation framework, the Ten Foreign Ministers had discussions on Turkey and decided that Mr. Tindemans should propose to the Turkish Government that he should visit Ankara in his capacity as President of the Council of Ministers for talks with General Evren. They also endorsed the resolution of the European Parliament calling on the people of Europe to mark 21 March as "Afghanistan Day".