§ Lord Norrieasked Her Majesty's Government:
What recent discussions they have had with the President of the European Commission.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Brabazon of Tara)The Foreign Affairs Council met in Brussels on 5th March. My right honourable friends the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs represented the United Kingdom.
The council discussed progress and prospects for the GATT Uruguay Round, reaffirmed its commitment to a successful outcome and agreed on the need for EC initiatives, particularly on the settlement of disputes. The UK stressed the importance of making progress on agriculture.
The council accepted that the Commission on its own responsibility should begin discussion with the Japanese on the future regime for imports of Japanese cars. The UK pressed for a liberal approach, arguing that there should be no restrictions on cars produced by Japanese owned firms in the UK.
In a brief discussion of Eastern Europe, the council approved the Commission's negotiating mandate for a trade and commercial and economic co-operation agreement with Czechoslovakia. The Commission also reported on the recent fact-finding mission to Belgrade. The UK suggested that for purposes of future EC aid Yugoslavia should be treated primarily as an East European rather than a Mediterranean country. Herr Genscher briefed his colleagues on the latest developments over German unification and its external consequences, which Ministers then discussed.
The council approved a Commission report on future EC assistance to the occupied territories following the commitment at the Strasbourg European Council to double the volume of EC aid to the territories.
Ministers discussed preparations for the inter-governmental conference on economic and monetary union, initiated the formal procedure for consulting the European Parliament and agreed to consider arrangements for informal dialogue with the parliament. There was also discussion of the siting of the European Environment Agency, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other Community institutions. The UK pressed the merits of Cambridge and London to host the Environment Agency and EBRD respectively.