§ Mr. StevensTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council in Brussels on 20–21 March; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. MacGregorTogether with my hon. Friend the Parlimentary Secretary, I represented the United Kingdom at this Council.
The main business before the Council was the Commission's proposals for farm support prices and related measures for 1989–90. No agreement was reached. The Council will return to the subject at its next meeting on 17 April, with the firm intention of reaching decisions.
The Council again considered the Commission's proposal on the level of imports of butter from New Zealand between now and 1992, and the linked qustion of the arrangements for imports of sheepmeat. Several member states were unwilling to take decisions, and the butter import arrangements were therefore rolled forward for a further two months until the end of May 1989 on the basis of 1988 quantities.
Finally the Council adopted a directive regulating imports of meat products from Third world countries with a view to avoiding human and animal health risks.