§ Mr. Cyril D. TownsendTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in theOfficial Report a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 22 February.
§ Mrs. ChalkerMy right hon. and learned Friend and I attended the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 22 February. The Council confirmed agreement to the package of stabilisers for eight agricultural commodities 207W on which France had reserved its position at the European Council in Brussels. The adoption of these stabilisers, without amendment or reserve, enabled us, and our Netherlands colleagues, to confirm our agreement to all the other conclusions of the Brussels European Council and opens the way to their implementation.
The consolidated text of the European Council conclusions, distributed in Brussels on 22 February (Document SN 461/1/88), has been placed in the Library. Copies are also available in the Vote Office.
This Council thus concludes a further significant stage in the United Kingdom's long-standing campaign for effective Community action to deal with excess farm production and agricultural expenditure. The Community will now be able to concentrate on its major long-term goal; completion of the single market in goods and services by 1992.
The Council also approved textile arrangements with Egypt and Turkey and adopted a proposal, for discussion in the GATT multilateral trade negotiations, on reductions in obstacles to trade. In addition, the Council discussed preparations for the forthcoming meeting with Foreign Ministers of the Central American and Contadora group countries in Hamburg from 29 February to 1 March (San José IV). The Council also agreed to a ministerial meeting on European demographic issues; and expressed interest in a French proposal for a congress of young people to discuss European Community issues.