§ Mr. Viggersasked the Chancellor of Exchequer if he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Community Finance Council in Luxembourg on 9 June.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweThe Finance Council met under Italian Presidency.
The council discussed the economic situation in the Community and invited the Commission to take account of the views expressed in preparing a paper for the council's formal examination of economic prospects at its next meeting.
The council also discussed recycling on the basis of an opinion from the Monetary Committee. There was general recognition that the role of the existing international institutions was vital and was to be supported. The council invited the Monetary Committee to consider further ways in which the Community might contribute to the task.
The council heard a report from the chairman of the economic policy committee on medium term economic policy and on prospects for the Community's fifth medium term programme. It invited 206W the committee to continue working on the realistic lines sketched out by its chairman and concentrating on policies rather than quantified projections, and to prepare a preliminary draft programme by the end of the year.