HC Deb 27 November 1986 vol 106 cc307-8W
Mr. Hanley

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 24 November.

Mrs. Chalker

My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs chaired the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 24 November. I represented the United Kingdom.

The Council agreed that the Community should sign the new protocol of the multi-fibre arrangement, which was negotiated in July and which extends the arrangement until 31 July 1991. The Commission also reported to the Council on the renegotiation of bilateral agreements under the arrangement with 26 countries, which will be put to the Council for decision at a later date. Details of the restraint levels negotiated have been placed in the Library of the House.

Ministers reviewed the negotiations between the Community and the United States on the trade effects of enlargement and discussed recent trade measures taken by Canada against imports from the EC.

The Council adopted the generalised scheme of preferences for 1987 which provides preferential access for developing country imports into the Community and approved a negotiating mandate for an EC-Czechoslovakia trade agreement.

The Council discussed progress in the negotiations on the Community's framework programme for research and development for the period 1987–91.

Ministers also discussed preparations for the European Council on 5–6 December.

Mr. Maclennan

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the decisions taken by the Foreign Affairs Council since he assumed its presidency.

Mrs. Chalker

I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Leeds, North-West (Dr. Hampson) on 23 July, at column 256, for Rochford (Dr. Clark) on 22 October, at column 167, for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) today; and to the statement by my right hon. and learned Friend, on 28 October, at column 913.