Council of the European Union

HC Deb 02 February 1999 vol 324 cc591-4W

Mr. Pendry

To 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 February and the major European Union events for the next six months. [69081]

Ms Quin

The information is as follows:

Monthly forecast of business: February 1999
	City/town	Business/event
4–6	Bonn	Ministers for Labour and Social Affairs (Informal)
8	Brussels	ECOFIN
8–9	Dakar	EU/ACP Ministerial
8–12	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
11–12	Berlin	Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (Informal)
22	Brussels	Political Committee
22–23	Brussels	General Affairs Council
22–23	Brussels	Agriculture Council
24–25	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
25	Brussels	Internal Market
26	Petersburg	Informal meeting of the Heads of State and Government

The following subjects are likely to be discussed: February 4–6 Ministers for Labour/Social Affairs (Informal) No formal agenda

February 8 ECOFIN Stability and growth pact: examination of stability and convergence programmes Economic situation and policy in the Community (Policy debate on macro-economic and structural policy issues)

AGENDA 2000 Financial framework Interinstitutional agreement Report on own resources

February 8–9 EU/ACP Ministerial Ministerial negotiations on the Lomé convention

February 8–12 European Parliament Plenary No agenda yet available

February 11–12 Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (Informal) No formal agenda

February 22–23 General Affairs Council Agenda 2000 Enlargement Amsterdam treaty Report from the Council General Secretariat on the Council's operating procedure in the light of an enlarged Union

Slovenia preparation of the 1st Association Council (poss. "A" item)

Latvia preparation of the 1st Association Council (poss. "A" point)

Lithuania preparation of the 1st Association Council (poss. "A" point)

Human Rights

Western Balkans

EU-Pakistan Cooperation agreement (poss. "A" item)

Middle East Peace process

Great Lakes

February 22–23 Agriculture Council No agenda yet available

February 24–25 European Parliament Plenary No agenda yet available

February 25 Internal Market Council No agenda yet available

February 26 Informal Meeting of Heads of State and Government No formal agenda expected but likely to focus on Agenda 2000

European Calendar: February-July 1999 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.

1999	City/town	Event
February
4–6	Bonn	Ministers for Labour and Social Affairs (Informal)
8	Brussels	ECOFIN
8–9	Dakar	EU/ACP Ministerial
8–12	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
11–12	Berlin	Minister for Justice and Home Affairs (Informal)
22	Brussels	Political Committee
22–23	Brussels	General Affairs Council
22–23	Brussels	Agriculture Council
24–25	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
25	Brussels	Internal Market
26	Petersburg	Informal Meeting of Heads of State and Government
March
2	Brussels	Youth Council (possible)
8–12	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
9	Brussels	Social Affairs Council
11–12	Brussels	Environment Council
12	Brussels	Justice and Home Affairs Council
13–14	Reinhartshausen	Foreign Ministers (Informal)
15	Brussels	ECOFIN
15–16	Brussels	Agriculture Council
18	Brussels	Education Council (possible)
22	Brussels	Political Committee
22–23	Brussels	General Affairs Council
24–25	Berlin	Special European Council
29	Brussels	Transport Council
29–30	Berlin	Asia-European Foreign Ministers
30	Brussels	Fisheries Council
April
13	Luxembourg	Consumer Affairs Council
15–16	Stuttgart	Euro-Med Foreign Ministers Conference ?Barcelona III?
16–18	Dresden	ECOFIN (Informal)
19–20	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
22	Luxembourg	Telecommunications Council
23–25	Mecklenburg	Environment Ministers (Informal)
24–25	Luxembourg	NATO Summit
26–27	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
29	Luxembourg	Industry Council
May
6	Brussels	EU-ACP Ministerial meeting
7–9	Brussels	Environment Council (Informal)
10	Brussels	ECOFIN
10	Bremen	WEU Council
10–11	Berlin	Trade Ministers (Informal)
11	Brussels	Energy Council
17–18	Brussels	General Affairs Council
17–18	Brussels	Agriculture Council
18	Brussels	EEA Council
18	Brussels	Co-operation Council with Russia
18–19	Weimar	Culture Ministers (Informal)
20	Brussels	Research Council
21	Brussels	Development Council

1999	City/town	Event
25	Brussels	Joint ECOFIN and Labour and Social Affairs Council
25	Brussels	Social Affairs Council
27	Brussels	Youth Council
27–28	Brussels	Justice and Home Affairs Council
31	Brussels	General Affairs Council
30 May— 1 June	Dresden	Agriculture Ministers (Informal)
June
1	Dresden	Agriculture Ministers (Informal)
3–4	Cologne	European Council
7	Luxembourg	Education Council
8	Luxembourg	Health Council
10	Luxembourg	Fisheries Council
14	Luxembourg	ECOFIN (possible)
14–15	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
17	Bonn	EU-Japan Summit
17–18	Luxembourg	Transport Council
18–20	Cologne	G8
21	Luxembourg	Internal Market
21	Bonn	EU-USA/Canada Summit
21–22	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
22	Luxembourg	Labour and Social Affairs Council (possible)
24–25	Luxembourg	Environment Council
28	Luxembourg	Culture Council
July
2–3	Oulu	Industry and Research Ministers (Informal)
9–10	Oulu	Labour/Social Affairs Ministers (Informal)
12	Brussels	ECOFIN
16	Brussels	Budget
16–18	Helsinki	Environment Ministers (Informal)
18–20	Savonlinna	Culture/Audiovisual Ministers (Informal)
19–20	Brussels	Agriculture