§ Mr. Greenwayasked 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. RifkindThe usual written forecast was deposited in the House earlier today. At present six meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for February. In addition, as my right hon. and learned Friend told the House on 25 January —[Vol. 52, c. 912]—there is to be a special meeting of Foreign Ministers on 18–19 February to discuss the main issues of the post-Stuttgart negotiations on Community reform.
The Finance Council is expected to meet on 6 February to prepare for the special OECD ministerial conference on economic performance on 13–14 February. Ministers will also discuss a Commission proposal on the financing of European innovation loans.
The Agriculture Council is due to meet on 6–7 February and or 27–28 February. At its first meeting it is expected to consider the Commission's price proposals for 1984; follow-up measures arising from the Stuttgart European Council; New Zealand butter quotas; the rollover of the structures directives and a review of the sheepmeat regime. It may consider beef balance sheets, which relate to the setting of separate import quotas for beef used in the manufacturing industry and for young male bovines. The 27–28 February Council will continue discussion of the 1984 price proposals; of Stuttgart follow-up measures and of any other items left over from the earlier meeting.
Energy Ministers may meet in February to consider the revised proposals for the extension of the coking coal scheme, support for coal social measures, investment aid for solid fuels and energy demonstration projects. They may also discuss investment in the rational use of energy.
The Foreign Affairs Council is due to meet on 20–21 February when it will consider progress made in the negotiations for a change in Greenland's status in the Community; a proposal for a joint meeting of European Community and European Free Trade Association Ministers in April; and the Community's trade relations with Hungary. Ministers will prepare the Community's position for the ministerial conference with Spain and for the European Community/Israel Co-operation Council, both of which are due to take place in the margins of the Council.
Ministers may continue their discussions on the post-Stuttgart negotiations and may review the progress made in the EC-ACP negotiations on a successor to the second Lomé convention following the EC-ACP ministerial meeting on 8–9 February. The Commission may also report to the Council on its consultations with the United States Administration about the carbon steel arrangement.
The Research Council is due to meet on 28 February to discuss ESPRIT—European Strategic Programme for Research in Information Technology — proposals for non-nuclear energy research, basic technological research, Community action in biotechnology and the stimulation of Community scientific and technological potential. It may also consider structures and procedures.