§ Mr. Willeyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the last meeting of the Council of Ministers.
§ Dr. Owen:I attended the Foreign Affairs Council on 15th January, accompanied by my hon. Friend the Minister of State. This was the first meeting under the French presidency, who outlined their plans for the Council's work in the coming months. The Council discussed a report by the presidency on the main problems outstanding from previous meetings of the Council and took a number of procedural decisions on the handling of unresolved problems. It was agreed that the Agriculture Council would examine the problem of the European Monetary System and monetary compensatory amounts, and that decisions would be taken later by an enlarged Foreign Affairs Council.
The question of adopting and implementing the 1979 Budget is to be taken up again by Ministers in early February after examination by permanent representatives. The Council took note of the present position on fisheries, but did not have a substantive discussion. The presidency emphasised the need to find solutions at an early meeting of the Fisheries Council.
It was agreed that the February Council should approve negotiating directives for a new EEC-Yugoslavia agreement and that negotiations with Yugoslavia should start as soon as possible thereafter. The Council discussed the study which the Commission is making of the repercussions of the enlargement of the Community on third countries, particularly in the Mediterranean. I pointed out that 831W the study should review practical steps which could be taken to facilitate adaptation by the countries concerned.
The Council agreed on the position to be adopted by the presidency in further discussion with the European Assembly on the Regional Fund regulation and the non-associates regulation.