EU Council (Hansard, 7 June 1996)

§ Mr. David Davis

The following Councils are scheduled:

3 June: ECOFIN
3 June: Agriculture
3 June: Social Affairs
4 June: Agriculture
4 June: Social Affairs
4 June: Justice and Home Affairs
5 June: Justice and Home Affairs
10 June: Fisheries
10 June: General Affairs Council
11 June: Fisheries
11 June: General Affairs Council
11 June: Culture/Audiovisual
17 June: Transport
18 June: Transport
21 June: European Council
22 June: European Council
24 June: Agriculture
25 June: Agriculture
25 June: Environment
26 June: Environment
26 June: Research (to be confirmed)
27 June: Telecommunications

The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

3 June: Economic and Finance—ECOFIN

Approval of the agenda;
Approval of the "A";
Preparation for European Council in Florence;

—broad economic guidelines for 1996–97;
—progress report on preparation for stage 3 of European monetary union;
—appointment of president of the European Monetary Institute;
—interim report on employment;

Excessive deficits procedure.
European Investment Bank lending to Asia and Latin America.
VAT—taxation of agricultural outputs.
Any other business:

—Jordan (possible item);
—preview of the Irish presidency;
—financial repercussions of Commission's BSE measures;
—revision of the financial perspective.

3–4 June: Agriculture Council

Adoption of the agenda;
Approval of the list of "A" points (possible item);
Beef and veal:

—proposal for a Council decision amending Commission decision 96/239/EC on emergency measures to protect against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)¹
—implementation of paragraph 7 of the conclusions of the Agriculture Council on 29 and 30 April 1996 (support measures in the beef and veal sector).

Fruit and vegetables:

—proposal for a Council regulation to the common; organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables¹;
—proposal for a Council regulation on the common organisation of the market in processed fruit and vegetables¹;

Any Other Business:

—organisation of future work.
¹Denotes item on which a vote may be requested.

3–4 June: Social Affairs Council

Approval of the agenda;
Approval of the list of "A" points;
Adoption of parental leave directive (likely "A" point);
Adoption of posted workers directive (likely "A" point);
Council recommendation on the balanced participation of men and women in decision-making (likely "A"point);
Essen follow up: interim report in employment for Florence European Council;
Follow up to Peking UN conference on women;
Draft decision on a European year against racism (1997);
Draft resolution on the transparency of training certificates (possible item);
Orientation debate on the Commission communication on information and consultation (possible item);
Commission report on the demographic situation;
Commission information on the state of play on the two social protocol dossiers: burden of proof; and part-time, fixed-time and temporary work;
Any Other Business:

Presidency information on the French memorandum for a European social model;

Joint lunchtime discussion with ECOFIN Ministers about the employment situation.

4–5 June: Justice and Home Affairs Council

Draft external frontiers convention: progress report;
Draft recommendation on combatting illegal employment of third country nationals;
Eurodac: progress report;
Europol drugs unit: report on 1995 budget, draft 1997 budget, computer system;
Terrorism: draft joint action on directory of competences, threat assessment report, statistics of racist offences;
International Law Enforcement Academy;
Relations with third countries;
Crime prevention: results of Stockholm seminar;
Draft resolution on priorities for co-operation 1996 to 1998;
Financing of title VI;
European Court of Justice jurisdiction in Europol and other third pillar conventions;
Draft extradition convention;
Fraud: draft corruption convention and second protocol to convention on protection of Community's financial interests;
Draft convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters: progress report;
Draft convention on service of documents;
Common position on draft Hague convention on protection of minors;
Accession of a new member states to Brussels (and Rome) convention(s).

10–11 June: Fisheries Council Adoption of the agenda Approval of the list of "A" points (possible item) Proposal for a Council regulation laying down for 1996 certain conservation and management measures for fishery resources in the technical area of the convention as defined in the convention on future multilateral co-operation in the north-east Atlantic Fisheries (allocation of the NEAFC Redfish quota)¹; Proposal for a Council regulation amending for the second time regulation (EC) No. 3090/95 laying down for 1996 certain conservation and management measures for the fishery resources in the regulatory area as defined in the convention on future multilateral co-operation in the north west Atlantic fisheries (allocation of the NAFO 3M Redfish quota)¹; Proposal for a council regulation amending regulation (EC) No. 3074/95 fixing, for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, the total allowable catches for 1996 and certain conditions under which they may be fished (sprat fisheries in the Skagerrak and Kattegat)¹; 567W European fisheries research: further discussions; Proposal for a Council regulation on technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources: presentation by the Commission; Multiannual guidance programmes 1997–99: communication from the Commission; Communication on the organisation of the second conference on the management of fishery resources in the Mediterranean (Venice, November 1996); Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on small-scale Coastal fishing (budget heading B2–521); Proposals for the conclusion of fisheries agreements with:

—Estonia;
—Latvia;
—Lithuania;
(possible items)

FAO: proposal for a Council decision on accession of the European Community to the agreement to promote compliance with international conservation and management measures by fishing vessels on the high seas¹ (possible item); Proposal for a Council decision on the signature of the agreement for the implementation of the provisions of the United Nations convention on the law of the sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the conservation and management of straddling stocks and highly migratory fish stocks¹ (possible item); Report from the Commission on the establishment of a system for monitoring community fishing vessels by satellite: presentation by the Commission (possible item); Proposal for a Council regulation amending regulation (EEC) No. 2847/93 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy: presentation by the Commission (possible item); Proposal for a Council regulation amending for the 4th time regulation (EEC) No. 3699/93 laying down the criteria and arrangements regarding community structural assistance in the fisheries and aquaculture sector and the processing and marketing of its products (possible item); Commission report on the activities of third countries in Community waters Adoption in the language of the Community of: —a Council regulation amending Council regulation (EC) No. 3078/95 allocating, for 1996, certain catch quotas between member states for vessels fishing in Faroese waters¹; —a Council regulation amending Council regulation (EC) No 3077/95 laying down, for 1996, certain measures for the conservation and management of fishery resources applicable to vessels flying the flag of the Faroe Islands¹; adoption in the official languages of the community of a council regulation amending council regulation (EC) No. 3090/95 laying down, for 1996, certain conservation and management measures for fishery resources in the regulatory area as defined in the convention on future multilateral co-operation in the north-west Atlantic fisheries¹; Any Other Business:

—situation on the salmon market (requested by the Irish delegation);
—organisation of future work.
¹Denotes items on which a vote may be taken.

10–11 June: General Affairs Council

Provisional agenda is as follows:

—Mediterranean policy:
—follow-up to Barcelona;
—decision to conclude Euro-Med association agreements;
MEDA regulation;
Relations with Syria: common position for Co-operation Council (likely "A" Point);

Preparation of Florence European Council;
EEA: common position for EEA Council (likely "A" Point);
Relations with Chile (likely "A" Point);
Preparation of EU/Turkey Association Council (possible item);
Former Yugoslavia;
Agricultural GSP (possible item);
Commercial questions;

—Maritime transport;
—Commission communication on market access (preparation for Singapore);

Niger;
EU/Africa summit;
Relations with Canada;
Middle east peace process;
Relations with US;
KEDO (possible item);
New council building.

11 June: Culture/Audiovisual Council Approval of the draft agenda; Approval of the list of "A" points; Proposal for a directive modifying directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 "Television without Frontiers": draft common position; Proposal for a Council decision setting up a European guarantee fund to encourage cinema and television production: state of work; Preparation of joint work between the Council and the PECO countries; Proposal for a Council decision establishing an action programme in the field of cultural heritage (RAPHAEL): draft common position; Cultural goods: proposal for a Council Regulation modifying the annex of Council Regulation No. 3911/92 on the export of cultural goods, and proposal for a EP/Council directive modifying the annex of directive 93/7/CEE on the return of cultural goods unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State; Access to culture for all: draft resolution; Electronic publishing and libraries: draft resolution; First report of the Commission on the consideration of cultural aspects in European Community action: general debate; Any Other Business:

—prize for politically persecuted authors (Austrian delegation);
—encouragement of access of the young to culture: lowering of VAT on records, CDs and tapes (French delegation).

17–18 June: Transport Council

Trans-European network transport guidlines (possible item);
Aviation relations with the US: adoption of mandate;
Negotiations with Switzerland on air and land transport: Commission report;
Negotiations with EUROCONTROL and ESA on global satellite navigation: adoption of mandate;
Commission White Paper on air traffic management: debate;
Proposed amendment to driving licences directive: harmonisation of codes: political agreement on common position;
Proposed directive on summertime: political agreement on common position;
Commission Green Paper on fair and efficient pricing in transport: debate;
Commission Green Paper on the citizen's network: debate;
Commission document on maritime strategy: debate
Proposed directive on safety rules for passenger ships: political agreement on common position.

21–22 June: European Council Agenda not yet available;

24–25 June: Agriculture Council

Reform of the fruit and vegetable regime;
Price fixing;
Bananas (possible item);
Set-aside rates for 1997–98 (possible item);
Amending directive 64/432 on intra-community trade in bovine animals and swine;
Plant health: solidarity and responsibility (possible item);
Veterinary and fish fees;
Italian memorandum on the single market in veterinary matters;
BSE (possible item).

25–26 June: Environment Council

Biocides: adoption of a common position;
Emissions from off-road vehicles: adoption of a common position;
5th action programme: orientation debate;
Climate change: conclusions;
Convention on biological diversity: state of play;
Biosafety protocol: conclusions;
Water policy: debate;
Auto-oil programme proposals: presentation;
Leghold traps (mandate): adoption (if not already done);
Leghold traps: debate;
CO² emissions: conclusions;
Genetically modified organisms (revision of 90/219): state of play;
Zoos: debate;
Trade/Environment (at lunch);
Mandates if necessary;
2nd reading (landfill/air quality/PCB/IPPC/Vans/Logo "CE"/LIFE);
Transfer of waste to non-OECD countries: state of play;
Ant other business;

—Structured dialogue (Cyprus/Malta): information by the presidency.

26 June: Research Council (to be confirmed) Proposals for decisions adapting the 4th RTD framework Programme (EC) and the EURATOM research framework programme (1994–1998): financial supplement; Green Paper on innovation: information from the Commission; S/T co-operation with Mediterranean third countries: information from the presidency; S/T co-operation agreement with USA: adoption of negotiating mandate (possible "A" point); Decision modifying the specific programme on RTD co-operation with third countries and international organisations (INTAS) (possible "A" point); Supplementary research programme on the high flux reactor (HRF) (possible "A" point).

27 June: Telecommunications Council Directive on a common framework for general authorisations and individual licences in the field of telecommunications services: common position; 570W Directive on common rules for the development of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service: common position; Directive on the processing of personal data and protection of personal privacy in the telecommunications sector, in particular ISDN and digital mobile networks: common position; Directive amending ONP directives 90/387 and 92/44 to adapt them to a competitive environment in telecommunications: common position (possible item); Decision on the adoption of a multi-annual programme to promote linguistic diversity in the information society: decision (possible item); Council Resolution on the development of universal service for telecommunications in the EU.