§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Prime Minister what steps he expects(a) the United Kingdom and (b) the European Union to take in order to take forward the agreement, set out in the joint Japan-European Union statement of 12 January to expedite stable co-operation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. [37089]
§ The Prime MinisterAccording to procedures set down in the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), it is for the European Commission to negotiate such agreements. The member states of the European Union are currently discussing at working-group level a negotiating mandate that will be issued to the Commission by the Council of Ministers. The UK is keen to make progress on this dossier during the UK Presidency and hopes it will prove possible to reach agreement on the mandate in the Council of Ministers by June.