HC Deb 12 January 1977 vol 923 c503W
Mr. Rippon

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will take the initiative as President of the Council of Ministers of the European Communities to launch a European Foundation on the lines recommended in the Tindemans Report.

Dr. Owen

One of the conclusions which the Community Foreign Ministers reached in discussing the ideas in M. Tindemans' Report was that the proposal for a European Foundation deserved careful consideration. This was endorsed by the European Council which met in The Hague on 29th and 30th November last year, and it was agreed that the Commission should be asked to prepare a report on the current situation and the possibilities for the future. This is where matters stand at present. The interesting suggestion of a European Foundation is thus firmly on the agenda for further study in the Community during the United Kingdom Presidency and we shall be following the matter up.