EU Events: November 1996—April 1997 (Hansard, 5 November 1996)

§ Lord Chesham

This calendar is primarily concerned European Council with matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.

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European Calendar: November 1996-April 1997
Date	Location	Event
November 1996
4th-5th	Brussels	K4 Committee
7th-9th	Cork	Rural Development Conference
11th	Brussels	ECOFIN Council
11th-15th	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
12th	Brussels	Health Council
14th	Brussels	Industry Council
14th-15th	Dublin	Political Committee
18th-19th	Brussels	Agriculture Council
19th	Brussels	Budget Council
21st	Brussels	Education Council
22nd	Brussels	Development Council
22nd	Brussels	Fisheries Council
25th	Brussels	Consumer Council
25th-26th	Brussels	General Affairs Council
26th	Brussels	Internal Market Council
27th-28th	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
28th	Brussels	Telecommunications Council
28th-29th	Brussels	Justice and Home Affairs Council
December 1996
2nd	Brussels	ECOFIN Council
2nd	Brussels	Social Affairs Council
3rd	Brussels	Energy Council
5th	Brussels	Research Council
6th	Brussels	General Affairs Council
9th-10th	Brussels	Environment Council
9th-13th	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
12th-13th	Brussels	Transport Council
13th-14th	Dublin	European Council
16th	Brussels	Culture Council
16th-17th	Brussels	Agriculture Council
17th	Brussels	K4 Committee
19th-20th	Brussels	Fisheries Council

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European Calendar: November 1996-April 1997
Date	Location	Event
January 1997
1st		Dutch Presidency begins
7th	Brussels	Fisheries Council
13th-17th	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
20th-21st	Brussels	General Affairs Council
20th-21st	Brussels	Agriculture Council
27th	Brussels	ECOFIN Council (t.b.c.)
29th-30th	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
31st	Amsterdam	Transport Council (Informal)
February 1997
1st	Amsterdam	Transport Council (Informal)
1st-2nd	Brussels	Economic Affairs Council (Informal)
5th-6th	Noordwijk	Justice and Home Affairs Council (Informal)
14th-15th	Rotterdam	Social Affairs Council (Informal)
17th	Brussels	ECOFIN Council
17th-18th	Brussels	Agriculture Council
17th-21st	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
24th-25th	Brussels	General Affairs Council
28th	Amsterdam	Development Aid Council (Informal)
March 1997
lst-2nd	Amsterdam	Development Aid Council (Informal)
3rd	Rotterdam	Education Council (Informal)
3rd-4th	Brussels	Environment Council
6th	Brussels	Telecommunications Council
10th	Brussels	Internal Market Council
10th-14th	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
11th-12th	Brussels	Transport Council
15th-16th	Apeldoorn	Gymnich (Informal)
17th	Brussels	ECOFIN Council
17th-19th	Brussels	Agriculture Council
18th-19th	Brussels	Justice and Home Affairs Council
24th-25th	Brussels	General Affairs Council
April 1997
*4th-6th	Noordwijk	ECOFIN Council (Informal)
*7th-10th	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
*10th	Luxembourg	Consumer Council
*14th-15th	Luxembourg	Fisheries Council
*17th	Luxembourg	Social Affairs Council
*18th-20th	Amsterdam	Environment Council (Informal)
*21st-22nd	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
*23rd	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
*24th	Luxembourg	Industry Council
*24th-25th	Luxembourg	ACP/EU
*25th	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary

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European Calendar: November 1996-April 1997
Date	Location	Event
*29th	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council

Subject: Monthly forecast of business for November 1996

1. The following Councils are scheduled:

November

11th: ECOFIN Council
12th: Health Council
14th: Industry Council
18th: Agriculture Council
19th: Agriculture Council
19th: Budget Council
21st: Education Council
22nd: Development Council
22nd: Fisheries Council
25th: Consumer Council
25th: General Affairs Council
26th: General Affairs Council
26th: Internal Market Council
28th: Telecommunications Council
28th: Justice & Home Affairs Council
29th: Justice & Home Affairs Council

2. The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

11th November: ECOFIN Council

Approval of the provisional agenda.
Approval of the list of "A" points.
Preparation of the European Council: Recommendations of the Council based on Article 109 J.
Preparation of Stage 3 of EMU: Report by the Council to the European Council on relations between the Euro Area and non-participating Member States.
Commission report on the development of tax systems in the European Union.
SEM 2000 Commission presentation of report of personal representatives group.
Other Business.

12th November: Health Council

Adoption of the agenda.
Adoption of the list of "A" points.
Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council creating a network for the epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases in the European Community.
EU-US Task force on Communicable diseases.
Strategy towards blood safety and self-sufficiency in the European Community: Draft Resolution.
Reduction of smoking in the European Community: Draft Resolution.
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE): Draft Conclusions.
Integration of health protection requirements in Community policies: Draft Resolution.
European Health Card.
Other Business: Rapid introduction of important new medicinal products (requested by Netherlands Delegation).

14th November: Industry Council

At this stage, all of the below would seem likely to be discussed.
EC Merger Regulation.
Presidency Paper on State Aids.
Benchmarking.
Communication on competitiveness of chemicals industry.
Communication on competitiveness of automotive industry.
Communication on competitiveness of textiles industry.
Third SME Multi-annual programme (1997–2000)—particularly its budget.
Resolution on realising the full potential of SMEs, including very small and micro enterprises.

18th/19th November: Agriculture Council

Beef and cereals package.
Reform of the tobacco sector.
Reform of the olive oil sector.
Durum Wheat (possible item).
Plant health—solidarity and responsibility (possible item).
BSE (possible item).
Veterinary and Phytosanitary Agency (possible item).

19th November: Budget Council

1997 Budget.
Legal Base (possible item).

21st November: Education Council (provisional agenda)

School effectiveness: Discussion document and Council Conclusions (This will be the topic for the Open Debate).
Lifelong Learning: Discussion document and Council Conclusions.
Local Community Development through Education: Council Conclusions.
Quality of Higher Education: Presentation of Recommendation.
Paedophilia Conclusions/Declaration.
Green Paper on Obstacles to Mobility: Presentation by the Commission.
Quality Assessment of First and Second Level Education Systems: Oral report from the Commission.
SOCRATES: Information from the Commission.
European Commission White Paper: Commission report on five thematic conferences.
Transferability of Grants: Information on Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation.
TEMPUS II (Information/Decision depending on timeframe): Proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 93/246/EEC of 29th April 1993 adopting the second phase of the trans-European co-operation scheme for higher education (TEMPUS II) (1994–1998).
Learning in the Information Society: Information from the Commission.
Meeting with the Education Ministers of the Countries of Central and Eastern Europe (the Council will adjourn its formal business at 1200 to have the formal part of the structured dialogue until 1300. This will continue over lunch and the Council will reconvene formally at approximately 1500 to conclude its business).

22nd November: Fisheries Council

Multi-Annual Guidance Programme IV.
Fish prices.
Autonomous tariff quotas.

22nd November: Development Council (provisional agenda)

First Ministerial exchange of views on ACP/EU relations post Lome IV (Commission Green Paper).

Further exchange of views on Relief, Rehabilitation and Development.

Resolution on Human and Social Development.

Adoption of a common position on the Regulation on North/South Co-operation in the fight against drugs.

Adoption of a common position on the Regulation on Aid for Population Policies and Programmes.

Approval after EP second reading of the Regulations on Rehabilitation and Construction in Developing Countries, Refugees in Asia and Latin 57WA America, Environmental measures in Developing Countries and HIV/AIDS related operations in developing countries.

Horizon 2000—Coherence, Complementarity and Co-ordination.

25th November: Consumer Council

Draft directive on injunctions (access to justice).

Action plan on access to justice.

Directive on consumer credit (on formula used for APR).

Discussion of green paper on "Financial services: meeting consumers' expectations".

Discussion of green paper on "Commercial Communications".

Presidency paper on vulnerable groups.

Commission presentation on consumer guarantees.

There will also be an open debate on Consumers and the Information Society.

25th/26th November: General Affairs Council

Agenda not yet known.

26th November: Internal Market Council

Agenda not yet known.

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28th November: Telecommunications Council

Directive on the application of open network provision to voice telephony and on universal service for telecommunications in a competitive environment: Common position.

Directive on common rules for the development of Community postal services and the improvement of the quality of service: Common position (possible item).

Decision regarding the definition and implementation of Community Policy in the field of communications and postal services: Adoption.

Illegal material on the Internet: Conclusions/Recommendations (possible item).

Communication on numbering: Presentation (possible item).

Directive on the approximation of the laws of Member States concerning the connected telecommunications equipment, including the mutual recognition of their conformity and applicability: Presentation (possible item).

28th/29th November: Justice & Home Affairs Council

Agenda not yet known.