Agriculture Council (Hansard, 24 April 2002)

§ Mrs. Ann Winterton
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the matters relating to(a) agriculture, (b) fisheries and (c) other subjects that are to be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the Agriculture Council on 22 April. [51456]

§ Mr. Morley
The following items were on the Agriculture Council agenda for the meeting on 22 AprilEqual opportunities in rural areas European Union Veterinary Fund BSE Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the animal-health requirements applicable to non-commercial movement of pet animals Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on additives for use in animal nutrition Young farmers: issues and prospects (AOB item requested by the Italian delegation) Argentina: Trade measures against Greek canned peaches (AOB item requested by the Greek delegation)
List of "A" items Negotiation of guaranteed prices applicable in the 2001–02 to 2005–06 delivery periods to cane sugar originating in the ACP States referred to in Protocol 3 of Annex V to the ACP-EC Partnership Agreement and in India Adoption of a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on undesirable substances in animal feed Adoption of the Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the European Community, and provisional application of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters concerning the extension of the Protocol setting out the fishing opportunities and financial contribution provided for in the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Government of the Revolutionary People's Republic of Guinea on fishing off the Guinean coast for the period 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002 Adoption of the Council Decision on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters concerning the provisional application of the Protocol defining for the period 18 January 2002 to 17 January 2005 the fishing opportunities and the financial contribution provided for by the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Seychelles on fishing off the coast of Seychelles Adoption of a Council Decision authorising the Kingdom of Spain to extend until 7 March 2003 the Agreement on mutual fishery relations with the Republic of South Africa Adoption of a Council Decision authorising the Portuguese Republic to extend until 9 April 2003 the Agreement on mutual fishery relations with the Republic of South Africa Adoption of the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 685–2001 in order to provide for the distribution among member states of authorisations received pursuant to the Agreement between the European Community and Romania establishing certain conditions for the carriage of goods by road and the promotion of combined transport
Relations with Algeria Negotiation of a Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the EC and its Member States, of the one part, and the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, of the other part Approval of the outcome of the negotiations and decision to sign
Relations with Lebanon Negotiations for a Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the EC and its member states and Lebanon, an Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the EC and 276W Lebanon, and an Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters concerning cooperation in the tight against terrorism between the EU and Lebanon Approval of the outcome of the negotiations and decision on signing
Relations with the Associated CCEE Participation in the Fiscalis programme Decision concerning Lithuania
Relations with the Associated CCEE Participation in the Fiscalis programme Decision concerning Hungary
Relations with the Associated CCEE Participation in Community programmes Decision concerning Lithuania
European Economic Area Draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee amending Annex XX (Environment) to the EEA Agreement
European Economic Area Draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee amending Annex XX (Environment) to the EEA Agreement
European Economic Area Proposal for a Decision of the EEA Joint Committee amending Protocol 31 to the EEA Agreement, on cooperation in specific fields outside the four freedoms
European Economic Area Draft Decision of the EEA Joint Committee amending Annex XVIII (Health and safety at work, labour law and equal treatment for men and women) to the EEA Agreement
Anti-dumping Proposal for a Council Regulation terminating the anti-dumping procedure concerning imports of preoxodisulphates originating in the People's Republic of China Anti-dumping Proposal for a Council Regulation confirming the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on imports of cotton-type bed linen originating in India by Regulation (EC) No 2398–97, as amended and suspended by Regulation (EC) No 1644/2001 Draft Council Common Position extending Common Position 96/635/CFSP on Burma/Myanmar Appointment of a grade AI official at the General Secretariat of the Council.

§ Angus Robertson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether a Scottish Executive Minister will he a member of the UK delegation to the forthcoming Agriculture European Union Council of Ministers meeting on 26 April; and what information is being provided by her Department to enable effective pre-council scrutiny by the European Committee of the Scottish Parliament. [51727]

§ Mr. Morley
[holding answer 22 April 2002]: The Scottish Executive Minister for Environment and Rural Development attended the EU Agriculture Council meeting on 22 April. There is no meeting of the Council planned for 26 April. It is the responsibility of the European Committee of the Scottish Parliament to scrutinise the Scottish Executive's involvement in preparations for EU Council meetings. These arrangements are a matter for the Committee and the Scottish Executive. The Department provides information to Scottish Executive officials as part of that process.