European Union (Hansard, 6 June 1997)

§ Mr. Doug Henderson

The following is the information:

Monthly forecast of business for June 1997

The following Councils are scheduled:

2–3 June: General Affairs Council
5 June: Health Council
5 June: Development Council
9 June: Ecofin Council
10 June: General Affairs Council (tbc)
12 June: Social Affairs Council
16–17 June: European Council
17–18 June: Transport Council
19–20: Environment Council
23–25: Agriculture Council
26 June: Education Council
26 June: General Affairs Council
27 June: Energy Council
27 June: Telecommunications Council
30 June: Culture Council

The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

June 2–3: General affairs council
Approval of list of A points.
EP Resolutions of 23–24 April and 12–16 May.
Preparation of European Council in Amsterdam (Procedural Point).
Trade issues:
Council Declaration on market access for least developed countries.
Leghold Traps.
Racism and Xenophobia Monitoring Centre.
Transatlantic Relations: Report on EU/US Summit.
EU/Japan Summit (Information Point).
EU/Hong Kong: After 1997: Council Conclusions.
OCT Mid-Term Review.
Former Yugoslavia.
Albania.
Middle East Peace Process (possible item).
Any other business.
June 5: Health council
Adoption of the provisional agenda.
Adoption of the list of A points.
Communicable diseases network: common position.
EU/US Task Force on communicable diseases.
Draft Resolution on human organs and tissues.
Draft Resolution on migrant doctors within the European Union.
Draft Conclusions on health aspects of the drug problem.
TSEs: orientation debate.
Blood and blood products: follow-up to the Council Resolution of 12 November 1996.
Commission Communication on combatting tobacco consumption: orientation debate.
Commission proposals for programmes on rare diseases, pollution related diseases and accidents and injuries:
presentation by the Commission.
presentation by the Commission.
Future framework for action public health: orientation debate.
Any other business:
Promotion of mental health (request by the Finnish Delegation).
Health safety of medical equipment (request by the French delegation).
June 5: Development Council
EU/ACP relations:
Future EU relations with the developing countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific;
Democratisation, rule of law and human rights in the ACP countries;
Commission communication on support for structural adjustment and debt relief in heavily indebted ACP countries.
Conclusions on indigenous peoples (false B point).
Follow-up to 1992 Horizon 2000 declaration:
Resolution on coherence (false B point);
Conclusions on operational coherence (false B point).
Resolution on research and technological development in relation with the EU's development co-operation policy (false B point).
Resolution on the Joint Evaluation of Programme Food Aid (A point).
Conclusions on the Court of Auditors' report concerning the Humanitarian Aid of the European Union (A point).
Proposal for a Council regulation on NGO co-financing: adoption of common position.
Follow-up to Social Summit: Commission presentation.
Any other business:
Report on co-operation with Asia and Latin America (ALA) developing countries from 1991–95;
Reform of the UN organisations in the economic and social spheres.
Follow-up to Development Assistance Committee (DAC) on EC aid.
June 9: ECOFIN Council
Approval of the agenda.
Approval of the list of A items.
Preparation of stage III of EMU: Stability Pact, legal framework for the euro, resolution on ERM II.
Implementation of Broad Economic Guidelines 1996.
Draft Broad Economic Guidelines 1997.
Euro Coins: technical characteristics and design.
Interim report on Employment.
Progress report on SEM 2000.
Fraud: Commission work programme 1997–98, Fight against Fraud report 1996.
Derogations on mineral oils excise duties.
Preparation of Luxembourg Presidency.
Preparation of Structured Dialogue with CEEC and Baltic Ministers.
Any Other Business:
Settlement Finality Directive.
June 10: General Affairs Council
Council not yet confirmed.
June 12: Social Affairs Council
Adoption of the agenda.
Approval of the list of A points (possible item).
Proposal for a Council Directive on the burden of proof in cases of discrimination based on sex.
Proposal for a Council Directive on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work.
Interim 1997 joint report on employment for the Amsterdam European Council.
Follow-up to the French memorandum on a European Social model.
Commission communication on modernising and improving social protection in the European Union.
Final report by the working party of experts on European systems of worker involvement (with regard to the European Company Statute and other pending proposals).
Industrial restructuring and informing and consulting workers at community level.
Social Dialogue.
Any Other Business:
Commission report on access to continuing training in the Union;
Implementation of the European Social Fund Budget.
June 16/17: European Council

Agenda not yet available.

June 17/18: Transport Council
Directive on safety assessment of third country aircraft: political agreement.
Air Traffic Management: debate and Council conclusions.
European Aviation Safety Authority: debate and Council conclusions.
Directive on Heavy Goods Vehicle taxation, charging and tolls: political agreement.
Amending Regulation on tachographs: common position.
Road telematics: Council conclusions.
Trans-European Rail Freight Freeways: possible conclusions.
Road safety: debate and conclusions.
Amending Directive on Seafarer Training: common position.
Directive on registration of ferry passengers: common position.
Maritime external relations, including proposed mandates for negotiations with India and China: debate based on questionnaire.
Short Sea Shipping: Council conclusions.
Any other business:
Duty Free Sales: statement by Finland;
Week-end lorry bans: statement by Netherlands;
EU/US Aviation negotiations: Commission Report;
Aviation negotiations with Central and Eastern European Countries: Commission Report;
TENs and public, private partnerships: Commission Report.
June 19/20: Environment Council
Agenda not yet available.
June 23–25: Agriculture Council}
Agricultural price fixing.
Arable penalties.
EU/Czech veterinary equivalence agreement (possible item).
EU/US veterinary equivalence agreement (possible item).
Quality feet promotion (possible item).
Apple, pear, peach and nectarine tree grubbing up scheme (possible item).
Hops (possible item).
Farm Accountancy Data Network (possible item).
Italian state aid for co-operatives (possible item).
Export refund/animal welfare linkage (possible item).
Pesticide maximum residue levels (possible item).
Hormones—WTO panel (possible item).
Potato brown rot (possible item).
June 26: Education Council}
Adoption of a common position on a Commission proposal to increase the budget of the SOCRATES education programme.
Adoption of Council Conclusions on safety at school.
Adoption of Council Conclusions on information and communications technology (ICT) and teacher training.
Adoption of Council Conclusions on the Commission White Paper "Teaching and Learning: Towards the Learning Society".
Commission presentation on a forthcoming draft Recommendation on quality assurance in higher education.
Open Ministerial debate on the Commission Green Paper on Barriers to Student, Trainee and Researcher Mobility.
Discussion of a Dutch paper on regional languages.
Discussion of socio-economic research under the new 5th Research and Development Framework Programme.
June 26: General Affairs Council
First draft agenda—likely to change.
Follow-up to the European Council at Amsterdam.
Former Yugoslavia.
Middle East Peace Process.
Relations with Andorra.
Mediterranean Policy.
Relations with Albania.
Relations with Yemen.
Relations with Turkmenistan.
Relations with Switzerland.
June 26: Energy Council
Agenda not yet known.
June 27: Telecommunications Council
Commission communication on a European Union Action Plan for satellite communications in the Information Society: Council conclusions.
Commission communication regarding the consultation on the Green Paper on a Numbering Policy for Telecommunications Services in Europe: Council resolution.
Proposal for a Council and European Parliament Directive on communications terminal equipment: orientation debate.
Commission communication on progress in implementing the telecommunications regulatory framework by I January 1998: Commission report and exchange of views.
Commission communication on further developments in mobile and cordless communications in Europe: Commission presentation.
June 30: Culture Council
Agenda not yet known.

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.

European calendar: June to November 1997
Date	Venue	Event
June 97
2–3	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council (and IGC Ministerial)
5	Luxembourg	Health Council
5	Luxembourg	Development Council
9	Luxembourg	Ecofin Council
9–13	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
10	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council (tbc)
12	Luxembourg	Social Affairs Council
16–17	Amsterdam	European Council

289W

European calendar: June to November 1997
Date	Venue	Event
17–18	Luxembourg	Transport Council
19–20	Luxembourg	Environment Council
20–22	Denver	G7 Summit
23–25	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
24	Brussels	Political Committee
25–26	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
26	Luxembourg	Education Council
26	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
27	Luxembourg	Energy Council
27	Luxembourg	Telecommunications Council
30	Luxembourg	Culture Council
July 1997
1		Luxembourg Presidency begins
3	Luxembourg	Visit by Commission
4–5	Echternach	Labour and Social Affairs Council (Informal) (tbc)
7	Brussels	Ecofin Council
10–11	Luxembourg	Political Committee
14–18	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
22	Brussels	Agriculture Council
22–23	Brussels	General Affairs Council
24	Brussels	Budget Council
26	?	Possible European Council
August 1997
There are no events scheduled for August
September 1997
4	Brussels	Political Committee
7–9	Echternach	Agriculture Council (Informal)
12–14	Mondorf	Ecofin Council (Informal)
15–16	Brussels	General Affairs Council
15–19	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
22	New York	Political Committee
22–23	Brussels	Agriculture Council
29	Brussels	Political Committee (reserve date—tbc)
October 1997
1–2	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
2	Luxembourg	Telecommunications Council
3–4	Echternach	Internal Market Council (Informal)
6–7	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
7	Luxembourg	Social Affairs Council
9	Luxembourg	Transport Council
9–10	Echternach	Justice and Home Affairs Council (Informal)

290W

European calendar: June to November 1997
Date	Venue	Event
10–11	Strasbourg	Council of Europe Summit
13	Luxembourg	Ecofin Council
16	Brussels	Political Committee
16–17	Luxembourg	Possible European Council
16 or 26	Luxembourg	Environment Council (tbc)
20–21	Luxembourg	Political Committee
20–21	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
20–24	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
23	Luxembourg	Environment Council
24–27	Edinburgh	CHOGM
25–26	Mondorf	Foreign Ministers (Informal)
30	Luxembourg	Fisheries Council
November 1997
3	Brussels	Consumer Council
3	Brussels	Political Committee
5–6	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
10	Brussels	Research Council
13	Brussels	Industry Council
17	Brussels	Ecofin Council
17	Brussels	Political Committee
17–18	Brussels	Agriculture Council
17–21	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
19	Brussels	Fisheries Council (tbc)
20	Brussels	Education Council
21	Brussels	Budget Council
24	Brussels	Culture Council
24–25	Brussels	General Affairs Council
27	Brussels	Internal Market and Development Council