HC Deb 02 June 1980 vol 985 cc503-4W
Mr. Dalyell

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to the reply of the Lord Privy Seal, Official Report, 19 May, column 32, on the debate on Iran, if she will define what is considered to be a formal meeting of Foreign Ministers and what is an informal meeting; in what circumstances an informal meeting can become a formal meeting at which decisions are taken; and whether she is satisfied that this is a proper way to direct the affairs of the European Economic Community.

The Prime Minister

Foreign Ministers of the European Communities meet formally as the Council of Ministers of the European Communities, and also in the framework of political cooperation.

The Council of Ministers is the institution established by the Treaty of Rome as the main decision-making body for the conduct of Community business as defined by the Treaty. The meetings of Ministers in the political co-operation framework are the result of a political commitment made by Foreign Ministers of the Nine and embodied in the " Copenhagen " and " Luxembourg " reports, which set out the basis for political co-operation among the Nine.

In addition to these formal meetings it is also customary for Ministers to have informal exchanges of views both over lunch on the days of formal meetings and twice a year at an informal weekend meeting arranged by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

The principal differences between formal and informal meetings are that officials are not present at the informal meetings and that, normally, Ministers do not seek to reach decisions or agree joint positions at informal meetings. Exceptionally an agreement was reached at the informal weekend meeting on 17–18 May in Naples and a joint statement was issued. This was because Ministers felt that international circumstances required, decisions to be taken more rapidly than would have been possible if they had awaited the next formal meeting.

I am satisfied that the formal and informal meetings of Foreign Ministers serve their different purposes well.