EC Council of Ministers (Hansard, 1 March 1991)

§ Mr. Garel-Jones

The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 4 March and will consider prospects for progress on the Uruguay round and on the EC/EFTA negotiations on a European economic area. Ministers will discuss food arid medical aid for Bulgaria and Romania, and for the Soviet Union, food aid, credits for food purchases and technical assistance. Ministers will discuss EC/Turkey relations, particularly the fourth financial protocol, and consider the Commission's proposals on EC assistance for Israel and the occupied territories. Before the Council, there will be a ministerial session of the intergovernmental conference on political union.

The Agriculture Council will meet on 4 and 5 March and will discuss GATT agriculture and information 665W centres on rural development initiatives and agricultural markets (MIRIAM). It may also discuss the 1991 price-fixing proposals, beef balance sheets and FEOGA irregularities. There will be a second meeting of the Council on 25 and 26 March in which 1991 price fixing proposals and a progress report on GATT agriculture will be discussed. Organic production standards may also be considered.

The Environment Council will meet on 18 March and will consider proposals for directives on the treatment of municipal waste water and the seventh amendment to directive 67/548 on the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances. There will be discussions on the proposals to amend directive 88/77 on the reduction of diesel emissions from vehicles and for a regulation on action by the Community relating to nature conservation (ACNAT). There will be progress reports on proposals for regulations on waste movements, existing chemicals, environmental labelling and an environment fund (LIFE).

The Industry Council will meet on 19 March and is likely to discuss the prospects for and policy towards the European consumer electronics and semi-conductor industry. A DG III paper, promoting the competitiveness of biotechnology may also be discussed. Ministers will discuss a proposal for a Council decision which would release 25 million ecu retained under the Council's decision 89/490/EC of 28 July 1989. The Council may consider the Commission's annual report on textiles and also a Commission paper setting out various options on the future of the ECSC treaty.

The Internal Market Council will meet on 21 March. Ministers may discuss trans-European networks, the ninth amendment to the directive on marketing and use of dangerous substances, the Commission Green Paper on standards and the second diploma directive.

The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 25 March to consider the formal adoption of the Commission's annual economic report; to examine the annual report of the Court of Auditors and make a recommendation to the European Parliament so that the Parliament may give the Commission a discharge with respect to the 1989 Budget; and to discuss a possible revision to the financial perspective. The Commission has 666W proposed a portmanteau revision to category 4, for 1.0 billion ecu in 1991 and 1.2 billion ecu in 1992, to allow inter alia for aid to the USSR, to Israel and the Occupied Territories, and for the creation of a reserve to deal with the future needs of third countries. The Council may also consider financial assistance to eastern and central Europe. The regulated markets provision may be discussed. It is likely that the Council will discuss the abolition of fiscal frontiers, and in particular, the transitional outline agreement on the general principles of the post 1992 VAT system in December 1990. In recognition of the need for full and early agreement on the VAT technical arrangements, the Luxembourg Presidency has proposed adoption of the legal text for the VAT technical system for this meeting. Work on this is already well under way in the official financial questions group.

The Transport Council will meet on 27 March. Ministers are likely to consider further standardisation and harmonisation of driver licences and of technical requirements in civil aviation, and the proposed regulation on predatory practices in the aviation sector. The progress of negotiations with Austria, Switzerland and Yugoslavia over transit traffic, the development of Community railway policy, and maritime cabotage are likely to feature prominently on the agenda, and inland waterway cabotage may also be considered.