HC Deb 30 November 1983 vol 49 cc539-40W
Mr. Harris

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

Mr. Rifkind

The usual written statement was deposited in the House earlier today. Heads of State and Government will meet at the European Council in Athens on 4 to 6 December. At present 12 meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for December.

Two Transport Councils are to be held in December. The Council meeting on 1 December is expected to consider a resolution on inland transport, a regulation on infrastructure support, the Community road haulage quota, hired vehicles, road haulage tariffs, vehicle weights and dimensions, negotiations between the Community and Austria, Greek frontier traffic and Community air transport policy. The Council meeting on 20 December is expected to consider two shipping matters—the application of the treaty's competition articles to shipping and the resolution on relations with third countries—and recommendations concerning the railways in the Community, as well as any business left over from the 1 December meeting.

The Labour and Social Affairs Council is due to meet on 8 December to discuss a draft recommendation on working time, a draft resolution on youth employment, a proposal on social aspects of the Greek memorandum, and the draft Vredeling directive.

The Consumer Affairs Council will meet on 12 December to discuss an early warning system for dangerous consumer products, and the draft directives on misleading advertising, doorstep selling and product liability.

The Economic and Finance Council is expected to meet on 12 December to adopt the annual report on the economic situation in the Community. Ministers might also consider EMS interest rate subsidies, the Community loan mechanism designed to support the balance of payments of member states, the promotion of the financial integration of the European Community, and the Commission proposal on the financing of European innovation loans.

The Agriculture Council is next expected to meet on 12–13 December to consider agricultural structures which include aids for investment in agricultural holdings, measures for forestry and the protection of the environment. It is also expected to consider extensions for less favoured areas, New Zealand butter quotas and the Commission report on the sheepmeat regime.

The Research Council is due to meet on 13 December. It will consider non-nuclear energy research and development, structures and procedures for management of R and D programmes, ESPRIT, two aspects of the joint research centre—its programme and its board of governors, and two aspects of fission—the decommissioning of nuclear plants and reactor safety. It might also discuss industrial technology.

The Fisheries Council is next expected to meet on 14 December to consider herring quotas, 1983 total allowable catches—TACs—and third country arrangements.

The Steel Council is expected to meet on 14 December to continue its discussion on new short-term measures for steel.

The Environment Council is due to meet on 16 December to consider a draft regulation on the supervision and control of transfrontier shipment of hazardous wastes and a draft directive on the discharge of mercury into the aquatic environment.

The Energy Council is expected to meet on 19 December to continue its discussions on the solid fuels initiative, including coking coal, and on energy demonstration projects.

The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 19–20 December when Ministers are expected to consider measures needed to follow up the conclusions reached at the Athens European Council and a report on the latest state of the negotiations for Greenland's withdrawal from full membership of the Community. Ministers will also be asked to approve a negotiating position for the ministerial meeting with Spain which is due to take place in the margins of the Council.

In addition, the Council may discuss the arrangements for determining the Community's annual food aid programme, and continue its discussions of the state of negotiations on the renewal of the European Community/China textiles agreement, and of a supplementary import quota for newsprint for 1983.