European Council (Hansard, 27 February 1997)

§ Mr. David Davis

Monthly Forecast of business for March 1997

The following Councils are scheduled:

March 1–2: Development Aid Council (Informal)
March 2–3: Education Council (Informal)
March 3–4: Environment Council
March 6: Telecommunications Council
March 10: Internal Market Council
March 11–12: Transport Council
March 14–15: Social Affairs Council (Informal)
March 17: Ecofin Council
March 17–18 Agriculture Council
March 24–25: General Affairs Council.

The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

March 1–2: Development aid council (informal)
There is no formal agenda.
March 2–3: Education council (informal)
There is no formal agenda.
March 3–4: Environment council
Adoption of the agenda.
Approval of the list of "A" items.
Community Strategy on Climate Change: Council Conclusions.
Commission Communication: Implementing Community Environmental Law: Policy Debate.
Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the signing and conclusion of an International Agreement between the European Community, Canada and the Russian Federation on Humane Trapping Standards: Progress report on negotiations with Third Countries.
Amended proposal for a Council decision on a Community action programme promoting non-governmental organisations primarily active in the field of environmental protection-legal basis proposed by the Commission: article 130S(1)): common position.
Future strategy for the control of atmospheric emissions from road transport taking into account the results from the auto/oil programme:
Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/12/EEC:
Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles and amending Council Directives 70/156/EEC and 70/220/EEC;
Second auto/oil programme: policy debate.
Proposal for a Council directive on the reduction of emissions of organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain industrial activities: policy debate.
Presentation by the Commission: possible items.
Proposal for a directive on energy taxes;
Proposal for a framework directive on water.
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on environmental agreements: policy debate.
Other Business:

Commission communication on environmental taxes and charges in the single market: presentation by the Commission;
Proposal for a directive on landfill: presentation by the Commission (possible item);
Report on the workshop for the preparation of the informal ministerial meeting on small and medium-sized undertakings and the environment: Presidency statement;
Re-examination of directive 90/220/EEC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms: statement by the Austrian delegation;
Taxation of energy and in particular kerasene: Statement by the Austrian delegation;
Situation regarding the European agreement on CO2 emissions from cars: French delegation request for information from the Commission;
First European Conference on the sustainable development of the islands (Menorca, 23 to 26 April 1997): information from the Spanish delegation.

March 6: Telecommunications Council
Adoption of the provisional agenda.
Adoption of the list of "A" points (possible item).
Proposal for a European Parliament and Council directive on the application of open network provision (ONP) to voice telephony and on universal service for telecommunications in a competitive environment (replacing European Parliament and Council Directive 95/62/EC): common position (legal basis proposed by the Commission: article 100A).
Ongoing Co-decision procedures with the European Parliament interconnection directive, TENS Telecoms, licensing directive, satellite S-PCS decision.
Action plan from the Commission on satellite communications: presentation by the Commission (with reference to action plan on space).
UMTS (next generation of mobile communications): report by the Commission.
Other business:
WTO negotiations: report by the Commission; Implementation of telecoms directives.
March 10: Internal Market Council
PARNUTS (Foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses).
Miscellaneous additives (possible item).
March 11–12: Transport Council
Proposed amendment to directive 92/14 on phase-out of noisy aircraft: for political agreement on common position.

Aviation fuel duty: debate on resolution calling for Commission study on effects of imposition.
Proposal for mandate for Commission to negotiate Community membership of European Aviation Safety Authority: for debate.
Proposal for mandate for Commission to negotiate Community membership of EUROCONTROL: debate.
Proposed amendment to regulation 3821/85 to allow for new digital tachograph: common position.
lnteroperability of road pricing technology: adoption of resolution.
Proposed regulation on pilot actions for combined transport for political agreement on common position.
Proposed directive on heavy goods vehicle charging and taxes: debate.
Proposed eighth directive on summer time: for common position.
Negotiations with Switzerland: debate.
Other Business:

Report on transport research and development.
Report on the work of the high-level group on public private partnerships/TENS.

March 14/15: Social Affairs Council (informal)
There is no formal agenda.
March 17: Ecofin Council
Preparation of stage III of EMU.
Convergency programme of France.
Convergence programme of Germany.
Annual report of the Court of Auditors and budget discharge
Taxation of energy products.
Solvency ratio direct for credit institutions (mortgages) (possible item).
March 17–18: Agriculture Council
Beef labelling/cattle identification.
Olive oil (possible item).
Arable penalties (possible item).
Agriculture price fixing (possible item).
Veterinary and phytosanitary equivalence agreements.
Structured dialogue with central and eastern European countries.
Fruit grubbing-up scheme (possible item).
Honey (possible item).
Agrimoney compensation for appreciable revaluation's (possible item).
March 24–25: General Affairs Council
First draft agenda—likely to change.
Former Yugoslavia.
Albania.
Middle East peace process.
Relations with Turkey.
Pakistan.
Commercial questions: conclusion of an agreement on information technology.
Relations with South Africa.
Preparation of the 23rd ACP-EC Council of Ministers (24–25 April 1997).
Relations with Australia.
Mediterranean policy.
European observatory on racism and xenophobia.
Transatlantic relations.
Russia.
Baltic states: European agreement.
VIIth ministerial meeting between the EU and the Rio group.

This calendar is primarily concerned with European Union matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.

318W

European Calendar: March to August 1997
Dates	Location	Event
1–2	Amsterdam	Development Aid Council (informal)
2–3	Amsterdam	Education Council (informal)
3–4	Brussels	Environment Council
6	Brussels	Telecommunications Council
10	Brussels	Internal Market Council
10–14	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
11–12	Brussels	Transport Council
13	Brussels	Political Committee
14–15	Rotterdam	Social Affairs Council (informal)
15–16	Apeldoorn	Gymnich (informal)
17	Brussels	Ecofin Council
17–18	Brussels	Agriculture Council
24–25	Brussels	General Affairs Council (and IGC Ministerial)
April 1997
4–6	Noordwijk	Ecofin Council (Informal)
6–8	Maastricht	Informal meeting of Cultural Affairs Ministers
7–10	Strasbourg	European Parliament plenary
9–11	The Hague	Ministerial conference on social integration
10	Brussels	Political Committee
10	Luxembourg	Consumer Council
14–15	Luxembourg	Fisheries Council
17	Luxembourg	Social Affairs Council
18–19	Maastricht	Post-Lomé ministerial meeting
18–20	Amsterdam	Environment Council (informal)
20–22*	Warsaw	Meeting of EU and PHARE— Country Education Ministers
21–22	The Netherlands	Political Committee
21–22	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
23	Brussels	European Parliament plenary
24	Luxembourg	Industry Council
24–25	Luxembourg	ACP/EU ministerial conference
24–25	The Hague	International Conference on Innovative Research, and Appropriate health care for the people of Europe
24–26	The Hague	Ministerial conference on trafficking in women
25	Brussels	European Parliament plenary
29–30	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council (and IGC ministerial)
May 1997
6–7	Strasbourg	Council of Europe ministerial
12	Brussels	Ecofin Council
12–13	Brussels	Agriculture Council
12–13	Paris	WEU ministerial
12–16	Strasbourg	European Parliament plenary
14–15	Brussels	Research Council
15	Brussels	Political Committee
20	Brussels	Internal Market Council
22	Brussels	Political Committee
25–27	Domburg	Agriculture Council (informal)
26	Brussels	Energy Council
27–28	Brussels	Justice and Home Affairs Council
28–29	Brussels	European Parliamentary plenary
29	Brussels	Telecommunications Council
June 1997
2–3	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council (and IGC ministerial)
5	Luxembourg	Health Council
5	Luxembourg	Development Council
5–6	The Hague	K4 Committee
9	Luxembourg	Ecofin Council
9–10	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
9–13	Strasbourg	European Parliament plenary
10	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council (tbc)
12	Luxembourg	Social Affairs Council

f 319W

European Calendar: March to August 1997
Dates	Location	Event
16–17	Amsterdam	European Council
17–18	Luxembourg	Transport Council
19	Brussels	Political Committee
20–22	Denver	G7
23	Luxembourg	Fisheries Council
23	Luxembourg	Ecofin Council (tbc)
23–24	Luxembourg	Environment Council
25–26	Brussels	European Parliament plenary
26	Luxembourg	Education Council
26	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
30	Luxembourg	Culture Council
July 1997
1		Luxembourg Presidency begins
7	Brussels	Ecofin Council
10–11	Luxembourg	Political Committee
12–13	Luxembourg	Labour and Social Affairs Council (informal)
14–18	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
21–22	Brussels	Agriculture Council
22–23	Brussels	General Affairs Council
24	Brussels	Budget Council
August 1997
There are no events scheduled for August.