§ Baroness Nicolasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Luxembourg on 19 and 20 October. [HL3571]
§ Lord DonoughueMy right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food represented the United Kingdom at a meeting of the European Union Agriculture Council in Luxembourg on 19 and 20 October 1998.
The Council discussed the state of progress of negotiations on the Commission's Agenda 2000 CAP reform proposals, on which substantial technical level work has continued since May. My right honourable 37WA friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food stressed the importance of continuing the pace of work so that the negotiations could be concluded by March 1999 in accordance with the timetable laid down at the Cardiff European Council. A further debate on this dossier will take place at the Council's November meeting with the aim of agreeing a political position for transmission to the Vienna European Council.
The Council also discussed two proposals concerning the new agrimonetary arrangements which will apply after 1 January 1999. My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food broadly welcomed the proposals in the budget as more transparent and workable for operators than the current system. He also welcomed an improved proposal governing the terms under which member states who are not joining the single currency on 1 January 1999 could choose to pay CAP subsidies in Euros. There was a large measure of support in Council for the proposals. However, several member states preferred final decisions to be deferred until December, when the likely monetary situation as at 1 January, and therefore the impact upon farm incomes, would be clearer.
At Danish request, the Council held a brief debate on antibiotic resistance and the use of antibiotics in farming. It will return to the issue in due course on the basis of a Commission assessment of the scientific data.