§ Mr. QuinnTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for May and the major European Union events for the next six months. [40785]
§ Mr. Doug Henderson[pursuant to his reply, 30 April 1998, c. 215–17]: Owing to an administrative error the monthly forecast of business for May was omitted from the above answer to my hon. Friend.
A revised table is as follows:
Monthly Forecast of Business for May 1998
The following Councils are scheduled:
May 1998 1–3 Brussels Ecofin & Special EMU Council 7 Brussels Industry Council 11 Brussels Energy Council (t.b.c.) 18 Brussels Development Council 18 Brussels Internal Market Council 19 Brussels Telecommunications Council 19 Brussels ECOFIN Council 25–26 Brussels General Affairs Council 25–26 Brussels Agriculture Council 28 Brussels Culture and Audiovisual 28–29 Brussels Justice & Home Affairs Council The following subjects are likely to be discussed:
May 1–3: ECOFIN & Special EMU Council
Article 104c excessive deficit procedure (notably abrogations of excessive deficit decisions).
Council recommendations under Article 109j(2).
Decision under Article 109j(4), on the basis of the recommendations of the Council, taking into account the reports of the Commission and the EMI and the opinion of the European Parliament.
Council conclusions pre-announcing the bilateral conversion rates of participating member states.
Council recommendation on the appointment of the members of the Executive Board of the ECB.
Formal adoption of: Council regulation on the introduction of the euro (Article 109i(4)), and Council regulation on denominations and technical specifications of euro coins (Article 105a(2)).
May 7: Industry Council
Factors affecting competitiveness and finance for innovation: Debate.
Shipbuilding: Adoption of new Council Regulation on State aids. State Aid: Procedural regulation: Orientation debate.
Entrepreneurship: Exchange of views on Commission Communication, BEST report and Enterprising Europe Conference.
SMEs: Presentation of draft Directive on Late Payment.
Steel: Council Resolution on financial aspects of expiry of the ECSC Treaty.
Steel State Aid Monitoring Report: Commission presentation.
PECOs steel industry: Commission Communication.
495WDelocalisation: Information from the Commission.
Textile industry: Council Conclusions.
Construction industry: Council Conclusions.
Century date change problem: Presentation of the Commission's Communication.
High Level Group on Industrial Change (Gyllenhammar Group): Information from the Commission.
May 11: Energy Council (tbc)
Amended Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas: Progress report following adoption of common position.
Proposal for a Council Decision concerning a framework programme for energy activities in the energy sector (1998–2002): Adoption.
Proposal for Council Decision concerning a multi-annual programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources in the Community (ALTENER II): Adoption.
Energy and Environment, covering—Climate change: The Energy response to Kyoto—White Paper on renewables and Action Plan—Communication on combined heat and power—Communication on the economics of energy efficiency and new energy technologies (possible item): Open debate and Council conclusions.
Implementation of the Electricity Directive: Presentation and debate.
Report on the Review of Coal State Aids Decision: (possible) Presentation by the Commission.
Clean Coal Technology: (possible) Presentation by the Commission.
Organisation of co-operation around agreed Community energy objectives: (possible) Council resolution.
Communication and Proposal to amend Directive 68/414 on compulsory oil stocks: (possible) Presentation by the Commission.
European Energy Charter Treaty: State of affairs.
Euro-Mediterranean conference: Preparation for ministerial meeting.
May 18: Development Council (Provisional agenda)
Future ACP/EU relations.
Council conclusions on the international development targets.
Follow-up to the 1993 Poverty Resolution.
Follow-up to the 1995 Gender Resolution.
Evaluation of Community projects in the ACP: Progress report. Commission paper on indigenous peoples.
Micro-finance.
Final adoption of Regulations currently under discussion.
Follow-up to the DAC review.
Food Aid (possible item).
Humanitarian Aid (possible item).
May 18: Internal Market Council
Action plan for the Single Market—Updated version of the "scoreboard"—Joint Work Programme of the three Presidencies—Standards—"Citizen First": Progress reports, debate.
Simplification of legislation—SLIM initiative—BEST project: Progress report by the Commission, debate.
Proposal for a Regulation on free movement of goods: Adoption.
European company statute: Common position.
Directive on Classification, Packaging and Labelling of Dangerous Substances: Common position.
Directive to extend product liability to foodstuffs: Common position.
Directive on construction of buses and coaches: Common position (possible item).
496WDirective on type approval of vehicles for transporting animals: Common position.
3rd Directive on Mutual Recognition of Qualifications: Common position.
Revision of Regulation on EMEA fees: Adoption.
Amendments of Community Customs Code (non-transit articles): Common position (possible item).
Intellectual property rights for the Information Society: Common position (possible item).
Directive on legal protection of designs: Adoption (possible item).
Directive on legal protection of biotechnical inventions: Adoption (possible item).
Completing the Single Market for Pharmaceuticals: Presentation by the Commission (possible item).
Directive on Electronic Commerce: presentation by the Commission.
May 19: Telecommunications Council
Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on digital signatures and security of communications: (possible) Common position.
Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision on universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS): Common position.
Multiannual Community Action Plan on promoting safe use of the Internet: Adoption.
Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision on Interchange of Data between Administrations (IDA II): (possible) Common position.
May 19: ECOFIN Council
Preliminary Draft Budget proposals for 1999: Commission presentation.
Employment: Preparation of Cardiff European Council. SEM 2000.
Fight Against Fraud 1997: Progress report.
Fight Against Fraud 1998–99: Work programme.
Alcohol and tobacco fraud: Report.
Supplementary pensions (follow up to green paper): Presentation/debate.
SLIM (VAT) proposals: Orientation debate (possible item).
Preparation of Stage 3 of EMU.
Agenda 2000: Preparation of Cardiff European Council.
May 25–26: General Affairs Council
Council Decision on EC/Pakistan and EC/Bangladesh agreements (A point).
Euratom/Japan nuclear co-operation agreement: Negotiating directives (possible A Point).
Report on Joint Action on Racism and Xenophobia.
Lomé.
Mediterranean Policy.
G7/G8 Summit: Report.
EU/US Summit: Report.
EU/Canada Summit: Report.
Preparations for Cardiff European Council (possible item).
Mexico (possible item).
Western Balkans.
Great Lakes.
Middle East Peace Process.
Armaments Exports Policy (possible item).
World Trade Organisation: Ministerial report.
Russia: World Trade Organisation Accession.
China: World Trade Organisation Accession.
Commission Communication on China (possible item).
497WMay 25–26: Agriculture Council
Agenda not yet available.
May 28: Culture and Audiovisual
Proposal for a European Parliament and Council decision establishing a Community initiative for the "European City of Culture" event after 2001: Common position.
The future of co-operation in the cultural field—proposal for a framework programme to replace Kaleidoscope, Ariane, Raphael: Presentation and political debate.
Green Paper on culture and employment: Political debate.
Second report on the integration of cultural aspects into European Community action (Art 128 paragraph 4 of the Treaty): Presentation by the Commission.
Proposal for a Council recommendation concerning the protection of minors and human dignity in audiovisual and information services: Adoption.
European Audiovisual Conference—Birmingham 6–8 April 1998: Information by the Presidency.
Green paper on cultural diversity in audiovisual and information
services: Presentation by the Commission (possible item).
Green Paper on the regulatory implications of the technical convergence of telecommunications, media and information technologies: Presentation by the Commission (possible item).
May 28–29: Justice and Home Affairs
Convention on Admission of Third Country Nationals (possible item).
Council decision on monitoring of implementation of asylum instruments.
Joint Action on Temporary Protection.
Eurodac: Implementation: Technical specifications (possible item).
Joint action on uniform sheet for affixing visas where person not in possession of a recognised document.
Schengen: Negotiations with Norway and Iceland.
Elements of Organised Crime Action Plan (report to the European Council).
Pre-Accession Pact on Organised Crime.
Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance.
Drugs activities: Progress report.
Terrorist Funding (or other measures/discussions of terrorism).
Europol: Implementation: Review of progress.
Action taken under Joint Action on MOUs between customs administrations and the business community: Report.
Action taken on the Resolution on Customs/Police Co-operation: Report.
Action Plan on Customs controls of container traffic (possible item).
Joint action on Confiscation of Drug Traffickers' Assets.
Joint action on Payment Card Crime.
Explanatory reports on Fraud/Corruption instruments.
Instrument on private sector corruption.
Convention on Driving Disqualification: Conclusion and signature.
Brussels II Convention on matrimonial matters: Conclusion and signature.
Review of progress and prospects in other civil judicial co-operation matters: Revision of Brussels and Lugano Conventions: European Enforcement Order.
Racism and Xenophobia: Report on implementation.
European Calendar: May-October 1998
This calendar is primarily concerned with European Union matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.
498W
May 1998 1–3 Brussels Ecofin and Special EMU Council 5 Brussels Political Committee (t.b.c.) 5–6 Belfast EU Ministers Womens Forum (Informal) 7 Brussels Industry Council 7–8 Barbados ACP-EC Council 8 London EU/Japan Troika Ministerial (t.b.c.) 8–9 London G8 Foreign and Finance Ministerial 10–12 Newcastle Meeting of Agriculture Ministers 11 Brussels Energy Council (t.b.c.) 11 Brussels Euro-Med Energy Ministerial 11–15 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary 12 Brussels Political Committee 14 London EU/Canada Summit 14–15 London Innovative Partnerships for Competitiveness Conference 14–16 London Conference on Culture and Employment 15–17 Birmingham G8 Summit 18 London EU/US Summit 18 Brussels Development Council 18 Brussels Internal Market Council 18–20 Northern Regional Affairs Committee Ireland 19 London Conference on Developing EU Public Health Policy 19 Brussels Telecommunications Council 19 Brussels ECOFIN Council