§ Mr. BatesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Environment Council on 15 December.
§ Mr. YeoThe Environment Council resumed its discussions on 15 December. I represented the United Kingdom. The Council agreed a common position on the packaging directive by qualified majority vote. The directive will set targets for member states for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste and will provide a framework which allows free circulation of packaging 1103W which meets essential requirements. The Council also adopted the decision agreed last March enabling the Community to ratify the United Nations framework 1104W Convention on climate change. The United Kingdom strongly support Community ratification, but abstained because of doubts about the choice of legal base.