HC Deb 01 July 1991 vol 194 cc22-3W
Mr. McMaster

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Nicholls

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

Mr. Garel-Jones

The Fisheries Council will meet on 8 July and Ministers will discuss the 10th, 11th and 12th amendments to the conservation regulations and control methods in the North West Atlantic Fisheries Organisation regulatory area. Ministers may also discuss North sea and Celtic sea herring and Norwegian sand eels.

The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 8 July to conduct a multilateral surveillance of the economies of member states. Ministers may consider the formal adoption of the Commission's annual economic report and discuss further the investment services directive. Ministers may discuss European investment bank lending outside the Community with a view to examining the possibility of extending European invesment bank operations to other countries and regions and adopt a Council statement on the Commission's report on European Community fraud.

The Agriculture Council will meet on 15 and 16 July and Ministers will discuss the agricultural aspects of the GATT Uruguay round and food quality. Ministers may also discuss the welfare of animals during transport and reform of the common agricultural policy.

The Internal Market Council will meet on 22 July and Ministers may consider the Dutch presidency's proposed directive on sweeteners in foodstuffs, and three related proposals on the rational use of medicines. Ministers might also discuss the draft regulation to provide for a European company statute, and the second Diplomas Directive.

The Budget Council will meet on 25 July to consider the 1992 preliminary draft budget submitted by the Commission.

The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 29 and 30 July. Ministers are likely to discuss follow-up to the European Council on 28 and 29 June. Ministers may review the state of negotiations of association agreements with Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia and the question of European Community assistance to the Soviet Union. Ministers will discuss the European Community investment partners facility, an instrument designed to promote joint ventures in developing countries. The revision of the Commission's mandate for the negotiations between the European Community and Gulf Co-operation Council on a free trade agreement may be considered. Ministers will review progress in the EC/EFTA negotiations on a European economic area and may also examine EC/Turkey relations. There may also be a ministerial session on the intergovernmental conference on political union on 29 or 30 July.