§ Mr. AmosTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in theOfficial Report a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 21 and 22 November.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweThe Foreign Affairs Council met in Brussels on 21 and 22 November. I attended on 21 November, accompanied by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State. She attended on 22 November accompanied by the Minister for Trade.
The Council reached agreement on the four implementing regulations for the structural funds following the agreement at the Brussels European Council in February to double the funds by 1993. It also concluded the conciliation procedure with the European Parliament on the regulations for the European social fund and the agriculture guidance fund. Discussions on the Parliament's proposed changes to the horizontal and regional fund regulations will continue at official level with a view to securing a common Council position for the Parliament in time for the co-operation procedure to be completed and the regulations adopted at the December Foreign Affairs Council.
The Council discussed the preparation for the Rhodes European Council and agreed that the main subjects for discussion would be the further development of the Community, the EC's international role, and the environment. For the first item the main text will be the report by the Commission on progress in completing the single market, due to be submitted under article 8(b) of the Treaty of Rome as amended by the Single European Act.
The Council had an exchange of views on prospects for the mid-term meeting of the GATT Uruguay round in Montreal on 4–8 December. The Council noted the importance of the mid-term meeting for success in the round as a whole, and endorsed the Commission's proposals for a constructive approach to the meeting in Montreal. The recommendations from the Agriculture Council on 14–15 November on the handling of agriculture at the MTM, were confirmed.
There was discussion of possible ways forward in the dispute with the United States on the Community directive prohibiting the use of hormones in meat. This will be further discussed at the December FAC.
The Council agreed the Community's generalised scheme of preferences (GSP) for 1989. The GSP is an important element in the Community's relations with developing countries. It provides access to the Community market on concessional terms for a wide range of LDC products, on an autonomous basis.
The Commission introduced a report on the Community's textile and clothing industry which will be further discussed.
12WIn the margins of the Council there was a successful meeting of the EC/Cyprus Association Council which underlined once again the close relations between the two sides. At the FAC itself progress was made on new financial protocols for Cyprus and Malta.
Meeting in the framework of European political co-operation, Ministers of the Twelve discussed the outcome of the Algiers meeting of the Palestinian National Council—which represented a modest step forward—and agreed a statement. Statements were also issued on recent developments in Afghanistan and on the occasion of Lebanese national day on 22 November. Copies of all three have been placed in the Library of the House.