HC Deb 23 February 1979 vol 963 cc364-6W
Mr. Wrigglesworth

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a forecast of forthcoming business for the EEC Council of Ministers.

Dr. Owen

Heads of State and Government will meet in the European Council in Paris on 12 and 13 March. At present five meetings of the Council of Ministers are proposed for March. The usual written forecast was deposited in the House on Thursday 22 February.

The Agriculture Council will meet on 5 and 6 and additionally on 26 and 27 March and is expected to discuss the CAP price proposals for 1979–80, including proposals resulting from the milk sector report, and to discuss further the exchange rates used in agriculture. The Council is also expected to consider the marketing of potatoes and possibly starch and wine, including aid for EEC wine musts in British wines and allocations to the agriculture guidance section.

The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 6 March and will discuss preparations for the European Council; the Greek accession negotiations; the GATT multilateral trade negotiations; progress in the re-negotiations of the Lomé Convention and any issues requiring urgent decision. Ministers will also discuss the Community's general approach to UNCTAD V and specific topics for consideration there; the Community's approach to the common fund negotiating conference which resumes on 12 March in Geneva; the draft regulation on aid to non-associates; the conciliation procedure; revised proposals for Community rules for specific aids to the steel industry; the terms of financial provisions in the negotiating directive for a new agreement with Yugoslavia; the establishment of a work programme for the accession negotiations with Spain and Portugal; and the relaunching of the Community's association agreement with Turkey. The Council will discuss trade relations with Romania in connection with the negotiations now in progress between the EEC and Romania; the Euratom/Australia safeguards agreement; progress of the legislation necessary in member States to implement the decision to pay the salaries of directly elected Members of the European Assembly by national Governments at rates to be determined nationally; progress in the implementation of the Commission's proposals for tariff concessions for Cyprus new potatoes for this year; the Community position on the possibility of holding high level meetings, under the auspices of the Economic Committee for Europe, on energy and environment.

The Finance Council will meet on 19 March and will discuss the Commission's proposals on rules of eligibility for the Ortoli loan facility and for subsidised interest rates on Community loans to less prosperous member States who participate in the European monetary system exchange rate mechanism. Within the context of their first quarterly review of the economic situation in the Community, Ministers are expected to consider the adjustment, in the light of recent economic developments, of the economic policy guidelines for 1979 which were contained in the annual report on the economic situation adopted by Finance Mini- sters in December. The Council may also discuss follow-up action to the European Council meeting of 12 and 13 March.

The Energy Council will meet on 27 March and is expected to continue discussion on the national energy programmes of member States and the Community and international supply situation. The Council will also resume consideration of Commission proposals under the schemes to support demonstration projects in energy saving and alternative energies and in the area of energy labelling. Discussion may also take place on possible Community measures to support the coal sector and on the detailed rules for intra-Community trade in oil, in the event of supply difficulties.

There is expected to be a Fisheries Council in late March to consider the CFP internal regime, including possibly new proposals from the Commission on arrangements for 1979, as well as continued consideration of the various elements of the internal regime. Ministers will also consider the external regime, in particular the continued reciprocal fishing arrangements with Norway, Sweden, Faroes, Spain, and Canada for the rest of 1979.