§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects the Council of Ministers in the European Community to discuss and reach decisions on the proposed European Economic Community mergers directive: and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MaudeA progress report on the draft EC regulation on the control of concentrations "merger control" regulation may he made for a meeting of the Council of Ministers in June this year. At the meeting of the Internal Market Council on 30 November 1987, when this proposal was last discussed at Council level, I reserved the United Kingdom's position on the principle of such a regulation, but said that Her Majesty's Government would continue to participate constructively in discussions. A number of working level discussions have since taken place, but the timing of any decision remains uncertain.