HC Deb 04 June 1998 vol 313 cc350-4W
Mr. McWalter

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for June; and if he will list the major European Union events for the next six months. [44658]

Mr. Doug Henderson

The following Councils are scheduled:

Date Venue Event
June 98
3–4 Luxembourg Education and Social Affairs Council
5 Luxembourg ECOFIN Council
8 Luxembourg Fisheries Council
8–9 Luxembourg General Affairs Council
15–16 Cardiff European Council
16–17 Luxembourg Environment Council
17 Luxembourg Joint Environment and Transport Council
18 Luxembourg Transport Council
22 Luxembourg Research Council
22–23 Luxembourg Agriculture Council
29–30 Luxembourg General Affairs Council

3–4 June 1998: Joint Education and Social Affairs Council

  • Adoption of the Agenda.
  • A points—Draft Directive extending the Burden of Proof Directive to the UK—Draft Regulation amending 1408/71 (various amendments 1997).
  • Preparation of the Cardiff European Council: Debate.
  • Commission proposals for draft decisions for the new generation of education, training and youth programmes: Presentation by the Commission and debate.
  • Draft decision on European Pathways including Apprenticeship.
  • Presidency information on a pilot project on European Teacher Mobility.
  • Draft Directive on the Transferability of Supplementary Pension Rights of migrant workers.
  • Draft Regulation amending Regulation 1408/71 and 574/72 on social security rights of migrant workers.
  • Draft Directive amending the Directive safeguarding the rights of workers in the event of the transfer of undertakings.
  • Draft Directive on employee involvement in the European Company Statute: Political agreement.
  • Communication on the future of the Social Dialogue: Commission presentation.
  • Social Policy Action programme: Commission presentation.

5 June 1998: ECOFIN Council (provisional agenda)

  • Commission and EIB report on the loan guarantee system for lending to third countries.
  • Council draft of Broad Economic Policy Guidelines.
  • Preparation of Cardiff European Council.
  • Preparation of Stage 3 of EMU.
  • Adoption of ECB legislation under Article 106(6): Collection of statistical information by the ECB—minimum reserves of financial institutions at the ECB—Powers of the ECB to impose sanctions on institutions failing to comply with monetary regulations.
  • Appointment of ECB auditors.
  • Rules and composition of Economic and Financial Committee.

8 June 1998: Fisheries Council

  • Post-Amsterdam enforcement proposal: debate, (possible) adoption.
  • Commission report on the follow-up to the 1997 Bergan Inter-Ministerial meeting: Council conclusions.
  • Commission progress report on the 2002 Review: Progress report.
  • Proposal for revision of Structural Funds: Adoption (possible item).
  • Revision of basic Marketing Regulation (3759/1992): Policy debate.
  • Proposal on rules for mesh size combinations: Policy debate.

8–9 June 1998: General Affairs Council (provisional agenda)

  • Korea: Council Decision on Conclusion of EU/Korea framework Agreement (possible A point).
  • China: Council conclusions (possible A point).
  • Additional Protocols concerning the IAEA "93+2" Programme (possible A point).
  • Schengen.
  • Agenda 2000.
  • Preparations for Cardiff European Council: Procedural.
  • Enlargement.
  • Lome.
  • Mediterranean Policy (possible item).
  • South Africa.
  • Western Balkans.
  • Middle East Peace Process.
  • Great Lakes.
  • EU/Mercosur and EU/Chile (possible item).
  • Renegotiation of Industrial GSP Regulation.

15–16 June 1998: European Council

  • Not yet available.

16–17 June 1998: Environment Council

  • Proposal for a Council Directive relating to limit values for sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulate matter and lead in ambient air: Common position, cooperation procedure Art. 189c.
  • Proposal for a Council Directive relating to a reduction of the sulphur content of certain liquid fuels and amending Directive 93/12/EEC: Common position, cooperation procedure Art. 189c.
  • Amended proposal for a Council Directive establishing a framework for a Community action in the field of water policy: Orientation debate, cooperation procedure Art. 189c.
  • Proposal for a Council recommendation relating to the keeping of wild animals in zoos: Common position, cooperation procedure Art. 189c.
  • Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 90/220 on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms: Orientation debate.
  • Proposal for a Council Directive on emissions from heavy goods vehicles: Orientation debate.
  • Community strategy on climate change: Council conclusions.
  • Community strategy on biological diversity: Council conclusions (possible item).
  • Carbon dioxide emissions from cars: Council conclusions (possible item).

17 June 1998: Joint Transport and the Environment Council

  • Transport and Environment: Orientation debate and Council conclusions.

18 June 1998: Transport Council (provisional agenda)

  • EASA: Adoption.
  • Air traffic management: Adoption.
  • EU/US aviation: Debate.
  • Denied Boarding Compensation: Agreement of Conclusions.
  • Hush-kits: Debate, political agreement.
  • Computer reservation systems: Common position.
  • NOx: Agreement of conclusions.
  • Random checks: Debate, political agreement.
  • Dangerous goods safety adviser training: Debate, political agreement.
  • Railways: Progress report.
  • Transport safety: Debate.
  • Ferry Operators: Debate, political agreement. Manning conditions: Debate.
  • Ports green paper: Report by Commission.

22 June 1998: Research Council

  • Fifth EC Framework Programme—specific programmes: Thematic programmes—International cooperation—Innovation and participation of SMEs—Improving human research potential and the socio-economic knowledge base: (possible) agreement.
  • Fifth EURATOM Framework Programme—EURATOM part of specific programmes: (possible) Agreement.
  • JRC programmes: (possible) Agreement.
  • Rules of participation and dissemination of results (Article 130j decisions): (possible) Common position (EC)/decision (EURATOM).

22–23 June 1998: Agriculture Council

  • Not yet available.

29–30 June: General Affairs Council (provisional agenda)

  • Enlargement.
  • Follow-up to Cardiff European Council.
  • Lomé.
  • Transatlantic Relations.
  • Western Balkans.
  • Middle East Peace Process.
  • Iran.
  • Pakistan (possible item).

European Calendar: June—November 1998

  • 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.

Date Venue Event
June 1998
2 Luxembourg Political Committee
3–4 Palermo Ad-hoc meeting of Euro-Mediterranean Foreign Ministers
3–4 Luxembourg Education and Social Affairs Council
4 Luxembourg Euro X
5 Luxembourg ECOFIN Council
8 Luxembourg Fisheries Council
8–9 Luxembourg General Affairs Council
8–9 Glasgow Regional Policy/Spatial Planning Ministers' (Informal)
15–16 Cardiff European Council
15–19 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary
16–17 Luxembourg Environment Council
17 Luxembourg Joint Environment and Transport Council
18 Luxembourg Transport Council
19 Glasgow Energy and Environment Conference
22 Luxembourg Research Council
22–23 Luxembourg Agriculture Council
25 Brussels Presidency Biotechnology Round Table
29 Luxembourg General Affairs Council
July 1998
1–2 Brussels European Parliament Plenary
6 Brussels ECOFIN Council
6–7 Luxembourg Political Committee
8–10 Innsbruck Employment/Social Affairs/Women (Informal)
13 Luxembourg Political Committee
13–14 Luxembourg General Affairs Council
17 Brussels Budget Council
17–19 Luxembourg Environment Council (Informal)
20–21 Brussels Agriculture Council
23 Luxembourg Political Committee
August 1998
There are no Councils scheduled for this month
September 1998
3 Brussels Political Committee
5–6 Salzburg Foreign Ministers (Informal)
7–8 Brussels Special Committee on Agriculture
10–11 Linz Culture Council
15–16 Bregenz Transport Council (Informal)
21 New York Political Committee
19–22 St. Wolfgang, Austria Agriculture Council (Informal)
24 Brussels Justice and Home Affairs
24 Brussels Internal Market
25–27 Brussels ECOFIN Council (Informal)
28–29 Brussels Agriculture Council
October 1998
1–2 Luxembourg Transport Council
2–3 Luxembourg Industry/Research and Technology Council (Informal)
5 Luxembourg Work and Social Affairs Council
5–6 Luxembourg General Affairs Council
6 Luxembourg Environment Council
12 Luxembourg ECOFIN Council
13 Luxembourg Research Council
13 Luxembourg Political Committee
16–17 Vienna European Council
19–20 Luxembourg Agriculture Council
22 Luxembourg Fisheries Council

Date Venue Event
23–24 Luxembourg Education Council (Informal)
26 Luxembourg Political Committee
26–27 Luxembourg General Affairs Council
28–29 Luxembourg Transport Council
29–30 Luxembourg Justice and Home Affairs Council
November 1998
9 Brussels Political Committee
9 Brussels Internal Market Council
9–10 Brussels General Affairs Council
12 Brussels Health Council
16 Brussels Industry Council
17 Brussels Culture Council
20 Brussels Budget Council
23 Brussels ECOFIN Council
23–24 Brussels Brussels Agriculture Council Telecommunications Council
25 Brussels Telecommunications Council
26 Brussels Youth Council
30 Brussels Development Council
30–1 December 1998 Brussels Transport Council