Foreign Affairs Council (Hansard, 18 March 1981)

§ Sir Ian Gilmour

My right hon. and noble Friend and I represented the United Kingdom at this Council. My hon. Friend the Minister for Trade attended for discussions on Japan and United States textiles.

The Council discussed final preparations for the meeting of the European Council to be held in Maastricht on 23 and 24 March.

There was a meeting with the Spanish Foreign Minister, following the meeting of the Council on 16 March, to continue negotiations for Spanish accession. The Community tabled papers on right of establishment, transport and secondary legislation. Both sides made oral statements about the progress of the negotiations. The Community's statement confirmed its commitment to the Spanish accession.

The Council agreed on certain details of the implementation of the decision taken in principle by the right hon. Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson) and other Heads of Government at the European Council in December 1974 that there should be a common format for the national passports of European Community member States. Certain technical points remain to be resolved.

The Council discussed the arrangements for trade between Greece and Yugoslavia, following Greece's accession to the Community, to be included in a protocol adapting the European Community—Yugoslavia agreement of 1980, but was unable to reach agreement on the question of the future level of Yugoslav exports of baby beef to the Community. The Commission will therefore shortly make proposals for extending the Communiy's temporary autonomous regime, which has regulated such 132W exports since Greek accession on 1 January this year and which expires on 31 March. The Council also discussed the negotiation of transit arrangements through Yugoslavia following Greek accession.

The Commission submitted a written report on contacts with the United States about trade-related issues. It noted that in the last few days the United States Administration had made known their intention to remove controls on the export of naphtha, in addition to their decision to decontrol the price of oil.

The Council noted the Commission report and the statements of delegations, including a statement by my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade, calling for continued pressure on the United States for speedy deregulation of gas, emphasising the damage being done by sudden surges of imports of sensitive textile items—especially bed linen and tufted carpets—and stressing the need for early and effective action on both fronts. The Council agreed that the issues of gas price controls and the level of United States exports of particular textiles to certain regions of the Community should be kept high on the agenda of European Community—United States commercial relations and called on the Commission to report again as soon as possible. The Minister for Trade made it clear that we expected the Commission's next report to be ready in time for the April Council.

The Commission presented an oral progress report on relations with Japan, recording the pressure on the Japanese authorities to moderate exports of cars to Benelux, the introduction of surveillance, the work in progress on studies of Japanese exports in certain sectors, and the Commission's contacts with representatives of industry about the response needed from within the European Community.

The Council discussed the question of the Community's cereals exports in the light of the stocks held at present and the possible export opportunities. The Commission undertook to elaborate appropriate solutions within the framework of its management responsibilities and available financial resources, while complying with the Council's earlier decisions.

The Council agreed to create new posts at the European Court of Justice for an eleventh judge and for a fifth advocate general. It has, however, been accepted that, on enlargement of the Community the judge occupying the eleventh post shall be succeeded by a judge from the new member State, unless the Council has agreed, at the request of the court, that a further increase in the number of judges is justified.

The Council has been asked to approve a new procedure for consultation with the staff. Member States had not, however, had sufficient time to examine the proposals for the new procedure, and it was agreed that a decision on this would be taken at the May Council.

Ministers discussed signature of the new international cocoa agreement and arrangements for Community participation in international commodity agreements. No decisions were taken.

The Council agreed that the Community should provide approximately £250,000 in cash and 1,050 tonnes of cereals to the International Committee of the Red Cross for distribution to refugees in El Salvador. The ICRC has satisfied the Community that it will take all possible steps to ensure this aid does not fall into the hands of the guerrillas. The Community will keep a close eye on this.

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The Council considered further the question of an agreement with Canada on fisheries. No decisions were reached and the matter was referred back to officials.

Finally, the Council agreed that the Commission should make a proposal for Community aid, on a modest scale, for disaster relief in China.