EU Council: Forthcoming Business (Hansard, 13 June 1995)

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)

June 1	Development Council
	Energy Council
June 6	Internal Market Council
June 9	Research Council
June 12	FAC
June 13	FAC
	Telecom
June 15	Fisheries Council
June 17	FAC
June 19	Transport Council
	ECOFIN
June 20	Transport Council
	Justice and Home Affairs Council
June 21	Justice and Home Affairs Council
	Culture/Audiovisual Council
June 22	Environment Council
June 23	Environment Council
June 26	Agriculture Council
June 27	Agriculture Council
June 29	Social Affairs Council

The following subjects were discussed:

June 1: Development Council

Adoption of the agenda.
Approval of the list of "A" items.
Follow-up to the statement of 18 November 1992 on co-operation and development up to 2000.

(a) Complementarity between the development policies and actions of the Union and its member states.
(b) Consistency between the various Community policies.
(c) Operational co-ordination.

Structural adjustment
Draft resolution.
Regional integration
Draft statement.
Research in developing countries
Draft statement.
Evaluation.
Development co-operation with South Africa
Draft conclusion.
Basic rules on humanitarian aid.
Progress of discussions on:
Actions on rehabilitation assistance
Migration and development

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Rwanda.
Other business

June 1: Energy Council

Internal market in electricity: Council conclusions.
Trans-European energy networks: possible common positions on guidelines and supporting measures.
Energy policy Green Paper: Council Resolution.
Thermic II: possible decision.
Energy efficiency of fridges and freezers: progress report.
Under "Any Other Business": Energy Charter: progress report; and energy dimension to the Euro-Mediterranean Conference: exchange of views/possible Council Conclusions.

June 6: Internal Market Council

White Paper on extending Single Market to the CEEs: discussion amongst the 15 on White Paper, followed by session (and lunch) with CEE and Baltic Ministers.
Operation of the Single Market (routine presentation and discussion of implementation figures and annual report on Single Market, plus announcement of Commission plans for "Citizens' Guide to Single Market").
Deregulation: progress report on monitor group.
Uniform application and effectiveness of Single Market rules and national penalties for violations of them: Council Resolution.
Draft decision on notification of national decisions derogating from free movement of goods (which sets up a procedure to identify cases where mutual recognition does not occur)—common position.
Customs 2000: orientation debate on draft decision establishing a programme of practical measures to ensure customs rules work effectively.
Legal Protection of Database Directive: common position.
Community Designs Regulation: progress report.
European Co-operative Society: progress report on draft Directive and Regulation establishing common rules for European co-ops.
Bankruptcy Convention: political agreement.
Novel foodstuffs: common position on directive introducing EC rules for genetically modified foodstuffs.

June 9: Research Council

Co-ordination of research policies.
Adaptation of Framework Programme: Decisions following Enlargement.
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).
Prospects for Scientific and Technical Co-operation with the new Independent States of the Former Soviet Union.
Preparation of joint meeting with Associated Countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
International agronomy research.

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Training and mobility of researchers.
Research/Industry Task Forces.

The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

June 12/13; Foreign Affairs Council

Draft agenda:

Preparation of the Cannes European Council.
Racism and xenophobia: global strategy of the Union.
Relations with the CEEs

Implementation of the pro-accession strategy White Paper

Relations with the Baltic States

Decision on signature of the Association Agreement (possible A point)

Lomé mid-term review: EDF VIII
Mediterranean policy

Adoption of report on preparation of the Euro-Med Conference
(possible) Tunisia: decision on signature of new agreement
(possible) Israel: conclusion of negotiations on new agreement
State of negotiations with Morocco and Egypt
(possible) Lebanon: adoption of negotiating directives

Turkey

Adoption of draft common position on EC/Turkey customs union
Decision to seek consent of European Parliament

Relations with Cyprus

Adoption of Union position at EC/Cyprus
Association Council
Decision on signature of fourth financial protocol

Relations with Malta

Adoption of Union position at EC/Malta Association Council
Decision on signature of fourth financial protocol

Relations with Russia.
Relations with Ukraine.
Relations with certain republics of the former Soviet Union.
Former Yugoslavia.
Commercial questions.
Free trade areas
(possible) WTO code of conduct
Negotiations in the WTO framework.
Preparation of Halifax G7 summit and meetings with US and Japan.
South Africa.
Negotiating directives for a trade and co-operation agreement and protocol to the Lomé Convention.
GSP agriculture.
(possible) Relations with Mercosur.

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Adoption of negotiating directives for an inter-regional framework co-operation agreement.
Relations with Chile

Commission strategy paper on strengthening EU/Chile relations.

Vietnam (possible)

Conclusion of negotiations on a co-operation agreement.

Euratom/US nuclear energy agreement (possible)

In the margins:

Association Council with Cyprus
Associated Council with Malta

June 13: Telecoms Council

Council Resolution on Infrastructure Green Paper (Part 2)
Council Resolution on Mobile Telephony
Council Resolution on Postal Services
ONP Voice Telephony Directive: common position
Council Conclusions on Article 90 Cable Network Directive

June 15: Fisheries Council

Western waters effort regulation
Driftnets
Socio-economic measures (possible)
Amendment to technical conservation measures
UN Conference on straddling stocks (possible)

June 19: ECOFIN

Preparation for European Council (Cannes—26/27 June)
Broad economic guidelines (recommendation for 1995/96 and consideration of implementation 1994/95).
Essen follow-up (likely to include employment policy).
Decisions on excessive deficits
Regulation on protection of the Community's financial interests
Examination of member states' reports on measures to combat fraud and waste
Green paper on transition to a single currency (discussion)
Macro-financial assistance to third countries.
Biofuels: draft directive on excise duty relief for biofuels
VAT:

reduced rate for cut flowers
approximation of rates (Commission report)

Statistical questions:

European System of National and Regional Accounts
Harmonising consumer price indices.

Cross-border payments: agreement on common position
EIB lending to South Africa (possible A point)
TENS financing (possible)
CO₂ /energy tax: orientation debate (possible)

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European Investment Bank: a meeting of EIB Board of Governors will be held on the same day.

June 19/20: Transport Council

Maritime:

Maritime statistics directive-adoption
Ro-Ro ferry safety—Regulation on early implementation of International Safety Management Code (ISM)—Common position
(possible) Resolution on shipping external relations.

Aviation:

EC/US relations.
Airport ground handling—orientation debate
Mutual recognition for aviation components—Council Conclusions

Land, etc:

Trans-European Networks—consideration of EP Opinion
High speed rail interoperability—common position
Tachographs—orientation debate
Harmonisation of road signs—resolution
Telematics—resolution
Railway licensing and access directives—adoption of common position in light of EP opinion
(possible) Transport research—resolution

June 20/21: Justice and Home Affairs Council

Europol Convention
Fraud against the Community Budget
Common Visa List
Brussels (2) Convention
Title VI Finance

June 21: Culture/Audiovisual Council

Revision of Broadcasting Directive: orientation debate
Media II: orientation debate
New financial instrument for the Audiovisual Sector

June 22/23: Environment Council

Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC)
Air Quality Framework Directive
Wildlife Trade (CITES) Regulation
Major Accident Hazards (Seveso II) Directive
Climate change
Ecological Quality of Water Directive
Biocides Directive
LIFE programme (Financial Instrument on the environment)
Waste Shipments Regulation
Negotiating Mandate on the Basle Convention
Nuclear safety in Central and Eastern Europe
Priority waste streams: end-of-life vehicles
JEPs (Joint Environment Programmes)

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June 26/27: Agriculture Council

Price fixing.
Cotton
Italian, Spanish and Greek milk quota
Reform of the wine sector (possible)
Agrimony (possible)
Reform of the rice regime (possible)
Animal welfare
Trade in bovines (amending 64/432).
Feedingstuffs (possible)
Hormones (possible)

June 29: Labour and Social Affairs

Essen follow-up on employment
Draft Directive on Posted Workers
Draft Directive on Use of Work Equipment
Draft Decision on Programme to Combat Social Exclusion
Draft Decision on Action to support Older People
Draft amendments to Regulation 1408/71 (Social Security)
Resolution on Older Workers
Conclusions on the Quality of Vocational Training
Presidency Report on amendments to Acquired Rights Directive.