HC Deb 17 December 1993 vol 234 cc1102-4W
Mr. Bates

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Environment Council on 15 December.

Mr. Yeo

The Environment Council resumed its discussions on 15 December. I represented the United Kingdom. The Council agreed a common position on the packaging directive by qualified majority vote. The directive will set targets for member states for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste and will provide a framework which allows free circulation of packaging which meets essential requirements. The Council also adopted the decision agreed last March enabling the Community to ratify the United Nations framework Convention on climate change. The United Kingdom strongly support Community ratification, but abstained because of doubts about the choice of legal base.