HC Deb 31 March 1995 vol 257 cc843-4W
Mr. Dover

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union.

Mr. David Davis

The information meetings are planned:

  • 3–4 April: Culture/Media
  • 6 April: Fisheries
  • 7 April: Industry
  • 10–11 April: Foreign Affairs

The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

3 April: Culture Council

14.30:

  • —Adoption of the provisional agenda
  • —Adoption of the list of "A" points
  • — Audiovisual policy:
  • — Proposal for a MEDIA II programme: orientation debate
  • —Co-ordination of legislative, regulatory and administrative measures in the member states concerning television broadcasting: presentation from the Commission of its proposal to modify the Council directive of 3 October 1989
  • —Financial mechanisms intended to permit the mobilisation of finance for audiovisual production: oral communication from the Commission

17.00: —Joint meeting of the Council and the countries of central and eastern Europe concerning co-operation in the fields of both culture and audiovisual policy.

4 April: Culture Council

  • —European heritage and multimedia: draft resolution
  • —Co-operation with the countries of central and eastern Europe: draft resolution
  • —Proposal for a decision establishing a support programme for artistic and cultural activities (KALEIDOSCOPE 2000): orientation debate
  • —Proposal for a decision establishing a community support programme for the dissemination of literary, theatrical and reference works through translation and specialist training of literary translators (ARIANE): orientation debate
  • —Community support programme in the field of cultural heritage (RAPHAEL): information from the Commission

6 April: Fisheries Council

  • —Total allowable catches for the Greenland halibut
  • —Objectives and strategies for the period 1994 to 1997
  • —Additional conditions for year to year management of total allowable catches and quotas
  • —Technical conservation measures
  • —(possible) Guide prices
  • —(possible) Common marketing standards for shrimps, edible crabs and Norway lobsters
  • —(possible) Tariff quotas for certain fishery products
  • —(possible) Structural assistance—scale of premiums
  • —(possible) Structural assistance—early retirement
  • —Fisheries relations with Morocco.

7 April: Industry Council

  • —Industry and competition—an oral presentation by the Commission on its interim report on competition policy in 1994
  • —Industry and research—a joint presentation by Commissioners Bangemann and Cresson
  • —Industrial co-operation with central and eastern Europe discussion on Commission communication and adoption of Council conclusions
  • —Industrial competitiveness—adoption of Council conclusions on Commission communication on follow-up to previous Council conclusions on competitiveness
  • —High technology industries—adoption of Council conclusions
  • —Information society—Commission report on G7 conference and follow-up to Bangemann report
  • —Steel—report on monitoring of state aid
  • —Possible presentation of modification to aid code

10–11 April: Foreign Affairs Council

  • —Adoption of the agenda
  • —Approval of the list of "A" items
  • —Resolutions adopted by the European Parliament at its part-sessions (Brussels, 28 February to 2 March, and Strasbourg, 13 to 17 March 1995)
  • —Preparation for the joint meeting with the associated CEEs
  • —Determination of the common position to be adopted for the first meeting of the Association Council with the Czech Republic
  • —Determination of the common position to be adopted for the first meeting of the Association Council with Romania
  • —(possible) Negotiating directives for the adaptation of the Europe agreements and free trade agreements with the Baltic countries, further to enlargement
  • —Relations with Russia
  • —Former Yugoslavia
  • —Relations with Croatia
  • —(possible) Stability pact: Follow-up to the concluding conference
  • —Nuclear non-proliferation: Preparation for the conference on the NPT
  • —Burundi
  • —(possible) EU supervision of elections in the Palestinian territories
  • —(possible) Union action concerning anti-personnel mines
  • —Mediterranean policy
    1. a) Bilateral negotiations with Israel, Morocco and Tunisia
    2. b) Preparation for the Euro-Mediterranean conference: Adoption of the summary report
  • —Relations with Malta
    1. a) Action to be taken on the Commission report
    2. b) Decision on signing the fourth financial protocol.
  • —Relations with Cyprus
  • —decision on signing the fourth financial protocol
  • —Relations with Latin America
    1. a) (possible) Chile: Presentation by the Commission of its assessment report
    2. b) Mexico: Strengthening of relations between the European Union and Mexico
  • —(possible) Japan
  • —Commission communication
  • —Trade questions
  • —establishment of the WTO and multilateral trade negotiations
  • —Mid-term review of the Fourth ACP-EC convention
  • —8th EDF
  • —(possible) South Africa
  • —negotiating directives
  • —Council report on the functioning of the treaty on European Union
  • —Transparency of Council proceedings