§ Baroness Turner of Camdenasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for March; and list the major European Union events for the next six months. [HL1258]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanSee below.
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Monthly Forecast of Business: March 1999 Date Location Event March 1999 4 Brussels Political Committee 8–12 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary 9 Brussels Social Affairs Council
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Monthly Forecast of Business: March 1999 Date Location Event 11–12 Brussels Environment Council 12 Brussels Justice & Home Affairs Council 13–14 Reinhartshausen Foreign Ministers (Informal) 15 Brussels ECOFIN 15–16 Brussels Agriculture Council 22 Brussels Political Committee 22–23 Brussels General Affairs Council 24–25 Berlin Special European Council 26 Brussels K4 Committee 22–23 Brussels European Parliamentary Plenary 29 Brussels Transport Council 29–30 Berlin Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers 30 Brussels Fisheries Council The following subjects are likely to be discussed: 4 Brussels Political Committee No agenda yet available 8–12 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary No agenda yet available 9 Brussels Social Affairs Council Dialogue with acceding countries on social issues Directive on employee involvement in the Société Européen Political agreement Decision on the Standing Committee on Employment Adoption Code of Conduct on co-operation between authorities in the case of transnational hiring-out of workers and combating benefit fraud and illegal work Adoption of Resolution Proposal for Directives on the organisation of working time: Progress report from the Presidency 11–12 Brussels Environment Council Proposal for a Council Directive on end-of-life vehicles: Common position Amended proposal for a Council Directive establishing a framework for Community action in the field of auto policy: Common position Community strategy on climate change: Council conclusions Preparation of the 7th session of the Commission on Sustainable development (CSD) (19–30 April 1999): Council conclusions Proposal for a Council regulation allowing voluntary participation by organisations in a community eco-management and audit system: Policy debate Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 88/609/EEC: Policy debate Incineration Directives: Policy debate Commission report on progress in accession negotiations in the environment sector: Commission report 12 Brussels Justice & Home Affairs Council (Possible) Adoption of the agenda Europol, pension fund Europol activities report 1998 Europol: draft Council act adopting the rules governing the transmission of personal data by Europol to 3rd states and 3rd bodies
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Monthly Forecast of Business: March 1999 Date Location Event Europol: draft decision of the Council instructing Europol to deal with forgery of money and means of payments Europol: preparation of the taking-up of activities EURODAC: draft Council act drawing up a protocol extending the scope ratione personae of the Convention concerning the establishment of "EURODAC" for the comparison of fingerprints of applicants for asylum Drugs: decision on MBDB Joint position on the EU-Convention on organised crime Draft explanatory report on the Second Protocol to the Convention on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in criminal matters Questions relating to the transition from the Maastricht to the Amsterdam treaty with regard to conventions Revision of the Conventions of Brussels and Lugano Information on some ongoing activities in the field of internal market and consumer protection Preparation of the meeting with CEECs and Cyprus Definition and integration of the Schengen Aquis (information by the Presidency) Any other business 13–14 Reinhartshausen Foreign Ministers (Informal) No Formal Agenda 15 Brussels ECOFIN AGENDA 2000 Financial Framework Institutional agreement Report on own resources (Possible) Stability and Growth pack: examination of stability and convergence programmes Report of the European Court of Auditors for the financial year 1997: Presentation of report Recommendation on discharge and statement of assurance Follow-up to Vienna European Council: Duty Free Sales (Possible) Taxes: Taxation of interest income Interim report on the discussions with third countries Energy taxation Progress report (Possible) Euro 11 Multilateral monitoring and co-ordination of economic policy 15–16 Brussels Agricultural Council No agenda yet available 22 Brussels Political Committee 22–23 Brussels General Affairs Council Agenda 2000: Preparation of Special European Council (24 and 25 March, Brussels) (Possible) Enlargement Common Strategies Mediterranean policy: Situation/Prospect of TEP negotiations EU-Latin America Summit: Progress of preparations EU-ASEAN relations: Preparation of meeting of Foreign Ministers (25 March)
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Monthly Forecast of Business: March 1999 Date Location Event ASEM Preparation of meeting of Foreign Ministers (30 March) Western Balkans European security and defence policy 24–25 Berlin Special European Council Agenda not yet available 24–25 Brussels European Parliament Plenary Agenda not yet available 29 Brussels Transport Council Land Transport Proposals for Council Directive amendments: Policy debate Proposal for the amendment of: Directive 92/106/EEC & 96/53 Political agreement Communication on the organisation of working time in the sectors and activities excluded from Directive 93/104/EC Policy debate Commission report on the use of buses and coaches of up to 15 metres in length Council conclusions Possible agreement on the transits of lorries through Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria Political agreement on the draft text Air Transport Mandate for the revision of the Warsaw convention on uniform rules on the transport of cargo in international air transport Agreement on the granting of the mandate to the Commission Proposal for a regulation amending Regulation 295/91 Adoption of the common position Commission report on air transport and environment Debate All Transport Modes Report on a proposal for the amendment of Decision 1692/96/EC Debate Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) Commission proposal expected at the beginning of 1999—debate Negotiations between the EC and Switzerland on land and air transport Conclusion of the agreement Political agreement on the implementation of the agreement 29–30 Berlin Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers Agenda not yet available 30 Brussels Fisheries Council Proposal for Council regulation laying down the detailed rules and arrangements regarding community structural assistance in the fisheries sector Policy debate Proposal for a Council regulation establishing a list of serious infringements in the context of the control system (Regulation (EEC) 2847/93) applicable to the common fishery policy Policy debate Proposals to amend Council regulation (EC) 850/96 Final adoption Proposals opening and providing for the administration of autonomous community tariff quotas for certain fisheries products
Monthly Forecast of Business: March 1999 Date Location Event Final adoption Proposal for a Council Regulation on the collection of basic fisheries data Presentation by the Commission and initial debate 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.
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European Calendar: March—August 1999 Date Location Event March 1999 4 Brussels Political Committee 8–12 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary 9 Brussels Social Affairs Council 11–12 Brussels Environment Council 12 Brussels Justice & Home Affairs Council 13–14 Reinhartshausen Foreign Ministers (informal) 15 Brussels ECOFIN 15–16 Brussels Agriculture Council 22 Brussels Political Committee 22–23 Brussels General Affairs Council 22–23 Brussels European Parliament Plenary 24–25 Berlin Special European Council 26 Brussels K4 Committee 29 Brussels Transport Council 29–30 Berlin Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers 30 Brussels Fisheries Council April 1999 8 Brussels Political Committee 12–16 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary 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 20 Brussels Political Committee 22 Luxembourg Telecommunications Council 23–25 Mecklenburg Environment Ministers (Informal) (TBC) 24–25 Luxembourg NATO Summit 26 Luxembourg Political Committee 26–27 Luxembourg General Affairs Council 29 Luxembourg Industry Council 29–30 Brussels K4 Committee May 1999 3–7 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary 6–7 Berlin Political Committee 6 Brussels EU-ACP Ministerial meeting 7–9 Mecklenburg Environment Ministers (informal) (TBC) 10 Brussels ECOFIN 10 Bremen WEU Council 10–11 Berlin Trade Ministers (informal) 11 Brussels Energy Council 17 Brussels K4 Committee 17 Brussels Political Committee 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
European Calendar: March—August 1999 Date Location Event 25 Brussels Joint ECOFIN and Labour & Social Affairs Council 25 Brussels Social Affairs Council 25 Brussels Political Committee 27 Brussels Youth Council 27–28 Brussels Justice & Home Affairs Council 31 Brussels General Affairs Council 30 May–1 June Dresden Agriculture Ministers (informal) June 1999 1 Dresden Agriculture Ministers (informal) 3–4 Cologne European Council 7 Luxembourg Education Council 8 Luxembourg Health Council 10 Brussels Political Committee 10 Luxembourg Fisheries Council 10–13 European Parliament Elections 14 Luxembourg ECOFIN (possible) 14–15 Luxembourg Agriculture Council 14–15 Brussels K4 Committee 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 & Social Affairs Council (possible) 24–25 Luxembourg Environment Council 25–29 Rio de Janeiro EU-Latin America/Caribbean Summit 28 Luxembourg Culture Council 29 Brussels Political Committee (possible) July 1999 2–3 Oulu Industry and Research Ministers (informal) 6–7 Savonlinna Culture Ministers 8 Hameenlinna Political Committee 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 Brussels Political Committee 19–20 Brussels General Affairs Council 20–23 Strasbourg European Parliament Plenary 22–23 Helsinki K4 Committee August 1999 No Council Business