§ Mr. MerchantTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what decisions were taken at the EU ministerial Council on the internal market on 28 May; and what matters were voted upon. [35113]
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§ Mr. OppenheimThe right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the deputy UK permanent representative and I represented the UK at the Internal Market Council in Brussels on 28 May.
The Council reached common position by qualified majority voting on the sweeteners directive—Germany and Sweden opposed. The Council also reached unanimous political agreement on the common position on the directive on temporary authorisations for foodstuffs. Common positions on comparative and misleading advertising, exchange of information on measuring air pollution, monitoring of waste and protection of passengers in frontal collisions were agreed by A point procedure.
In accordance with UK non-co-operation in EU business, we blocked four measures requiring unanimity: two Council resolutions—administrative co-operation and legislative simplification in the internal market; a set of Council conclusions, accounting strategy; and an A point, Council decision on implementation of a Community action programme to strengthen the competitiveness of European industry.