HL Deb 10 June 1996 vol 572 cc148-55WA
Lord Burnham

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will detail the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey

The information requested is as follows:

Subject: Monthly forecast of business for June 1996

1. The following Councils are scheduled:

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

2. The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

3rd June: ECOFIN Council

Approval of the agenda

Approval of the "A" points

Preparation for European Council in Florence

broad economic guidelines for 1996–97

progress report on preparation for stage 3 of EMU

appointment of president of the emi

interim report on employment

Excessive deficits procedure

EIB lending to Asia and Latin America

VAT—taxation of agricultural outputs

AOB:

Jordan (possible item)

preview of the Irish Presidency

financial repercussions of Commission's BSE measures

revision of the Financial Perspective

3rd/4th 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)*

implementation of paragraph 7 of the conclusions of the Agriculture Council on 29th and 30th April 1996 (support measures in the Beef and Veal sector)

Fruit and Vegetables:

proposal for a Council regulation on the common organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables*

proposal for a Council regulation on the common organisation of the market in processed fruit and vegetables*

AOB:

organisation of future work

*denotes item on which a vote may be requested.

3rd/4th 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 on 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

AOB:

Presidency information on the French Memorandum for a European Social Model

Joint lunchtime discussion with ECOFIN Ministers about the employment situation

4th/5th 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 cooperation 1996–1998

Financing of Title VI

ECJ 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 new Members States to Brussels (and Rome) Convention(s)

10th/11th 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 Cooperation in the North East Atlantic Fisheries (allocation of the NEAFC Redfish quota)*

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 Cooperation in the North West Atlantic Fisheries (allocation of the NAFO 3M Redfish quota)*

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 Fishery in the Skagerrak and Kattegat)*

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 seas* (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 10th December 1982 relating to the conservation and management of straddling stocks and highly migratory fish stocks* (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 languages 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 waters*

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 Islands*

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 Cooperation in the North-West Atlantic Fisheries*

AOB:

situation on the salmon market (requested by the Irish delegation)

organisation of future work

*denotes items on which a vote may be taken

10th/11th 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 Cooperation 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

11th 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 3rd 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

AOB:

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)

17th/18th June: Transport Council

Trans European Network Transport Guidelines (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

21st/22nd June: European Council

Agenda not yet available

24th/25th 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)

25th/26th 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/Loo "CE"/LIFE)

Transfer of waste to non-OECD countries: state of play

AOB:

Structured dialogue (Cyprus/Malta): information by the Presidency

26th June: Research Council (to be confirmed)

Proposals for decisions adapting the 4th RTD Framework Programme (EC) and the EURATOM Research Framework Programme (1994–98): financial supplement

Green Paper on Innovation: information from the Commission S/T cooperation with Mediterranean third countries: information from the Presidency

S/T cooperation agreement with USA: adoption of negotiating mandate (possible "A" point)

Decision modifying the specific programme on RTD cooperation with third countries and international organisations (INTAS) (possible "A" point)

Supplementary Research Programme on the High Flux Reactor (HFR) (possible "A" point)

27th June: Telecommunications Council

Directive on a common framework for general authorisations and individual licences in the field of telecommunications services: common position

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.