HC Deb 28 March 2000 vol 347 cc106-7W
Mr. Hood

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of the Internal Market Council held in Brussels on 16 March; and if he will make a statement. [115548]

Mrs. Liddell

I represented the UK at the Internal Market Council in Brussels on 16 March.

There was an open debate on the Commission's outline proposals for an EU Food Authority, guided by a series of Presidency questions on the separation of risk assessment and risk management, the relationship between the EU Authority and national bodies, the scope of the Authority's responsibilities and access to the Authority. Other Councils will also be considering the Commission's White Paper and there will be a report to the European Council in June. The Commission will take account of the Council's views in formulating its detailed proposals which will be issued in September.

There was discussion of the Cardiff Economic Reform Process and of the preparations for the Lisbon Special Summit. The Council agreed Conclusions on economic reform to be forwarded to the Lisbon Summit and there was general support for the Presidency framework for Lisbon. The Council acknowledged the significance of Lisbon as a starting point for economic reform for the new economy and discussed the need for return to be accompanied by rationalisation of the Council structure.

The Commission introduced a review—which took full account of UK views—of the Simpler Legislation in the Internal Market (SLIM) initiative; the Council will be asked to agree Conclusions on the review at the IMC on 25 May. There was a debate on the Commission's eEurope initiative and the Presidency noted that an Action Plan will be adopted at the June European Council in Feira.

The Council reached political agreement on amendments to the Community Customers Code and on the Jams Directive, where the exclusion of "bakery jams" is preserved and is therefore a satisfactory outcome for the UK. The Presidency reported briefly on the Copyright Directive and the Spanish asked for rapid progress on the Community Designs Regulation.

During lunchtime discussion of the Takeovers Directive, UK and Spain reported that a solution of the issue of communications between Gibraltar competent authorities and counterparts in other member states was in sight.