§ Mr. Tim BoswellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what was the outcome of the Brussels Agricultural Council held on 25 and 26 September.
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§ Mr. Gummer[pursuant to his reply, 19 October 1989 c. 210]: I represented the United Kingdom at the 23–24 October 1989 Agriculture Council meeting together with the Parliamentary Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry).
The main items discussed were the proposed reform of the Community's agricultural structures policy, the proposal to increase the Community's milk quota by 1 per cent. subject to certain conditions, proposals to amend the rules for charges on imports of pigmeat into the Community, proposals to allow additional coresponsibility levy charged on cereals to be amended after an initial harvest determination by the Commission in the light of further information, and proposed regulations governing veterinary checks on intra-Community trade. On all these points I argued strongly the well-established United Kingdom position. The President indicated that he hoped that conclusions could be reached on some or all of these issues at the November Council on the basis of a compromise proposal he expected to put forward.
The Council also discussed the proposed Council directive concerning the protection of water against nitrate pollution on which the Environment Council takes the lead. I pointed out that this proposal had to take better account of the potential effects on agriculture, and in particular that any restraints ultimately imposed must be proportionate to the benefits gained by reducing pollution, as is required by the EEC Treaty.
Decisions were reached on the consumption aid for olive oil for 1989–90 at the same level as applied in the previous marketing year and on extensions of less favoured areas in three member states and on a national aid for wine production in Rheinland Pfalz.