§ 22 Miss Maynardasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the priorities which the United Kingdom Government intend to pursue during their six-monthly presidency of the European Economic Commission; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweThe main task of the next United Kindgom Presidency is the efficient conduct of EC business in the Council of Ministers, During our Presidency our priorities will be:
- —to keep up momentum on completion of the Common Market, including transport liberalisation;
- —to ease burdens on businesses, and promote flexibility in the labour market;
- —to promote continuing reforms in the CAP with a view to reducing agricultural surpluses;
- —to work for sound management of the Community budget;
- —to secure the launch of a new round of multilateral trade netotiations in the GATT and to conclude negotiations on the renewal of the multi-fibre arrangement;
- —to support the Commission in handling trade relations with the US and Japan;
- —to ensure that the Twelve member states act together in important matters of foreign policy in the spirit of the new treaty provisions signed in Luxembourg, which were based on a British initiative.