§ Mr. DismoreTo 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 April and the major European Union events for the period between 30 April and September. [156543]
§ Mr. VazTo date we have received the detailed agendas for the following Council meetings in April:
4–5: Transport and Telecommunications Council—Luxembourg
1. Adoption of the provisional agenda.
2. Approbation of the list of "A" items.
Telecommunications
3. Proposal for a Directive on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services—political agreement.
4. Proposal for a Directive on access to, and interconnection of, electronic communications networks and associated facilities—political agreement.
5. Proposal for a Directive on the authorisation of electronic communications networks and services—political agreement.
6. Proposal for a Directive on universal service and users' rights relating to electronic communications networks and services—progress report.
7. Proposal for a Regulation on the implementation of Internet Top Level Domain ".EU"—common orientation.
8. Proposal for a Directive amending Directive 97/67/EC with regard to further opening to competition of Community postal services—information from the Presidency.
9. Commission Communication on the introduction of third generation mobile communication (3G) in the European Union: state of play and the way forward—presentation by the Commission.
10. eEurope Action Plan 2002.
- (a) Report—information from the Commission.
- (b) Network security—information from the Presidency/ Commission.
Horizontal transport issues
11. (poss.) Commission communication on a revised strategy for the common transport policy ("White Paper")—presentation by the Commission.
12. (poss.) Proposal for amending the decision 1692/96/EC on guidelines for Trans-European Networks for transport (general revision)—presentation by the Commission.
13. Strategy for integrating environment and sustainable mobility into the transport policy (Cardiff/Helsinki follow-up)— Council resolution.
14. Galileo—Council resolution.
Air transport
15. Aviation and environment: ICAO regulations for gaseous and noise emissions—common approach for the ICAO Assembly.
16. Aviation safety: Proposal for a Regulation establishing common rules in the field of civil aviation safety and setting up of a European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA)—progress report and policy debate.
745W17. Montreal Convention on Air carrier liability:
- —decision for conclusion of this Convention by the Community.
- —Council conclusions on the ratification process of the Convention.
- —progress report on the draft regulation (amendment of Reg. 2027/97).
Land transport
18. Proposal for a Regulation on action by member states concerning public service requirements and the award of public service contracts in passenger transport by rail, road and inland waterway—progress report and policy debate.
19. Proposal for a Regulation on certain rules concerning the control of drivers engaged by road transport operators established in the EU when carrying out with Community vehicles intra-Community transport operations (third country drivers)—common orientation.
20. Proposal for a Directive on a transport system of harmonised rules for driving restriction on heavy goods vehicles involved on international transport on designated roads (weekend bans)—common orientation.
21. Proposal for amending Directive 91/671/EEC on compulsory use of safety belts, including compulsory use of type-approved child restraint systems—common orientation.
22. Commission Recommendation on the maximum permitted blood alcohol level for vehicle drivers—Council conclusions.
23. Proposal for amending directive 96/53/EC on weights and dimensions of heavy vehicles—5 meter buses—common position.
Shipping
24. Maritime safety—second package:
- —Directive on the establishment of a Community system for the monitoring and control of and information on maritime traffic.
- —Regulation concerning the creation of a fund for compensation in the case of oil pollution in European waters and the adoption of related measures.
- Regulation setting up a European agency for maritime safety.
- —Policy debate.
Other business
8–10: Brussels—General Affairs Council
8–10: Ostersund—Agriculture Council (Informal)
20–22: Malmo—ECOFIN
24–25: Brussels—Agriculture Council
25–26: Brussels—Fisheries Council
26–28: Lund Internal Market, Consumers and Tourism Council (Informal).
No agendas for the above are available at present.
The following are the principal events in the EU between 1 May and September 2001 (certain relevant events are also included: the table is based on the information available at the date of issue).
746W
Date Location Principal events May 5–6 Brussels Gymnich 7 Brussels ECOFIN Council 7 Brussels Employment and Social Council (possible) 14–15 Brussels General Affairs Council 14–15 Brussels Industry and Energy Council 22–23 Brussels Agriculture Council 28–29 Brussels Justice and Home Affairs Council 28 Brussels Education and Youth Council 30 Brussels Development Council 31 Brussels Health Council
Date Location Principal events June 5 Brussels ECOFIN Council 5 Brussels Internal market/Consumer Council 7–8 Brussels Environment Council 11–12 Brussels General Affairs Council 11 Brussels Employment/Social Affairs Council 15–16 Gothenberg European Council 18 Brussels Fisheries Council (possible) 19–20 Brussels Agriculture Council 19 Brussels ECOFIN Council (possible) 21 Brussels Culture Council 25–26 Brussels General Affairs Council 26 Brussels Research Council 27–28 Brussels Transport/Telecommunications Council July 6–7 Brussels Informal Employment and Social Affairs Council 10 Brussels ECOFIN Council 13–14 Brussels Regional Territories Council (Informal)? 16–17 Brussels General Affairs Council 16–17 Brussels General Affairs Council 20 Brussels Budget Council 23–24 Brussels Agriculture Council August 1— 1— Septembe 8–9 Brussels Gymnich 14–16 Brussels Environment and Transport Council (Informal) 16–18 Brussels Agriculture (Ministerial Informal) 22–23 Brussels ECOFIN (Informal) 24–25 Brussels Agriculture Council 27–28 Brussels Justice and Home Affairs Council 1There are no Councils scheduled for August