§ Mr. Sackvilleasked 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.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe usual forecast was deposited in the House today. At present six formal and one informal meeting of the Council are scheduled for May 1986.
At the Internal Market Council on 6 May a report on progress since publication of the White Paper "Completing the Internal Market" is expected from the Commission. The Council is expected to consider progress on a number of proposed directives including those on construction equipment and narrow wheeled tractors. There will be discussion of a proposed directive on forklift trucks and of a draft directive on easing of frontier controls. This Council may also consider the progress in the Transport Council of the transport items in the action programme for implementing the internal market.
The Consumer Affairs Council on 6 May will hold a full discussion of the Commission's paper on a new impetus for consumer protection policy and a review of progress on the proposed consumer credit directive and on the proposed unit pricing directive.
At the Foreign Affairs Council on 12 and 13 May Ministers will consider Community strategy in the run-up to the launch of a new round of GATT multilateral trade negotiations in September. European Community/United States trade relations may be discussed. In considering Mediterranean policy the Council will discuss modifications to the Community's mandate for negotiations with Mediterranean third countries on the adaptation of their cooperation/association agreements to take account of enlargement. The Council will review progress towards a meeting of the European Community/Turkey Association Council in the autumn.
European Community Ministers of Education will meet informally in The Hague on 16 and 17 May to celebrate 10 years of co-operation in education within the Community and to discuss arrangements for co-operation in the future. During the meeting there will be a presentation on the European Community's activities in the field of education and vocational training.
The Economic and Finance Council is expected to meet on 26 May. The agenda has not yet been fixed.
The Agriculture Council is expected to meet on 26 and 27 May to discuss the Commission's socio-structural proposals, pesticide residues in cereals and foodstuffs, undesirable substances in feedingstuffs, residues in meat, the directive prohibiting the use of ethylene oxide and a Commission report on imitation dairy products.
The Health Council will meet on 29 May to discuss the Commission's proposals for an action programme against cancer; the co-ordination of medical research and toxic 375W substances in human breast milk. The Ministers will also consider how the member states might co-operate to combat AIDS and alcohol-related problems. They may also consider papers on the Commission's proposals on toxicology, the monitoring of the aluminium content of water used in renal dialysis, the emergency health card and further training for general practitioners.