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International Conventions and Charters
Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many international (a) conventions and (b) charters have been (i) signed and (ii) ratified by the United Kingdom since 1972. [85278]
Mr. Tony Lloyd: Treaties (agreements binding in international law) are known by a variety of names, such as; Convention, Charter, Treaty, Protocol, Agreement, Final Act. etc. The term "charter" is also used to describe non-legally binding instruments.
The United Kingdom has signed a total of 587 multilateral treaties since 1972, and has ratified 387 in the same period. Of the multilateral treaties signed, 274 are conventions and 3 are charters. Of those ratified, 244 are conventions and 2 are charters. (The above figures for conventions include amending protocols to conventions, which are treaties in their own right and require separate signature and ratification). Corresponding information for bilateral conventions and charters can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
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Mr. Hoyle:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent incident in the South Atlantic involving a Falkland Islands fishery protection vessel opening fire on a Taiwanese fishing boat. [85219]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
With Her Majesty's Government's approval, the Falkland Islands Government recently armed one of its Fisheries Protection Vessels (FPVs) with a 20mm Oerlikon cannon. On 15 May the armed FPV challenged an unlicensed Taiwanese fishing vessel which was 19 miles inside the Falkland Islands Outer Conservation Zone and appeared to be fishing. Messages and signals were passed by the FPV to the vessel which failed to respond. Warning shots were fired. After all warnings and warning shots had been ignored by the illegal vessel, the FPV sought and received permission from the Director of Fisheries of the Falkland Islands Government to fire directly at its bows. Another warning shot was fired followed by five single, aimed shots at the bow of the vessel. The illegal vessel was pursued out of Falkland Islands waters by the FPV, which acted in accordance with strict guidelines throughout the incident.
Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what export restrictions currently apply to FYROM; for what reasons; and what proposals the Government have to lift them. [85211]
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Mr. Tony Lloyd:
Export controls in general apply to all destinations.
The only country specific export control currently in place on the Republic of Macedonia is Group 3, Part 1, Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, which prohibits the export without an export licence of certain all-wheel drive utility vehicles capable of off road use, heavy duty recovery vehicles and drop sided trucks.
This control was introduced to address concerns that such vehicles might be used by para-military groups against British troops deployed on peace-keeping duties in the former Yugoslavia.
We are currently taking steps to remove this control in respect of the Republic of Macedonia.
Mr. Stringer:
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 June; and if he will list the major European Union events for the next six months. [85608]
Ms Quin:
The list is as follows:
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European Calendar: June-November 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.
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Monthly Forecast of Business: June 1999
The following subjects are likely to be discussed:
1 June 1999--Dresden--Agriculture Ministers (Informal)
No formal agenda
3-4 June 1999--Cologne--European Council
No formal agenda
7 June 1999--Luxembourg--Education Council
Adoption of provisional agenda
Adoption of list of "A" points
New generation of programmes
Leonardo II decision and negotiations on Socrates II (information from Presidency)
Commission report on Socrates I (information from the Commission and exchange of views)
Implementation of Leonardo II and Socrates II (information from the Commission)
Implementation of Europass (information from the Commission)
Contribution of Education to European Employment Pact (Presidency discussion paper)
Forward planning in the field of education (Presidency discussion paper)
(poss.) Conference of European Education Ministers in Budapest on 24-26 June 1999 (information from Presidency)
Any other business
8 June 1999--Luxembourg--Health Council
Morning
Adoption of the agenda
(poss.) Approval of the list of "A" items
Future Community action in the field of public health
Draft Council Resolution
Exchange of views
Antibiotic resistance--a strategy against the microbial threat
Draft Council Resolution
Communicable diseases
Commission report on the 4th meeting of the EU-United States task force on communicable diseases 8159/99 SAN 52
Commission briefing on development in Europe
Report on the State of Health in the Community (Migrants)
Commission progress briefing
Health issues in connection with the future enlargement of the community
(A) Presentation of Commission working paper on "Health and Enlargement"
(B) Preparation of informal Meeting with the Ministers of the countries applying for accession
Approval of the annotated agenda
Informal meeting with the Ministers of the applicant countries
Afternoon
Proposal for a Council recommendation on the limitation of exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields 0 HZ-3000 GHZ (0)
(Legal basis: Article 152(4), second sub-paragraph)
Adoption 9620/98 SAN 107 ECO 230
Integration of health protection requirements in Community policies
Draft Council conclusions
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSES)
Exchange of views
Other business
(A) WHO tobacco free initiative
(Request by the Netherlands delegation)
(B) Non-conventional medicine
(Request by the Belgian Delegation)
(0) Item on which a vote may be taken
10 June 1999--Luxembourg--Fisheries Council
Adoption of the agenda
Approval of the list of "A" items
Proposal for a Council regulation laying down the details rules and arrangements regarding Community structural assistance in the fisheries sector (X)
Legal basis: Article 37 of the Treaty
Final adoption
DOC. 13605/98 PECHE 413
Proposal for a Council regulation establishing a list of types of behaviour which seriously infringe the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (X)
Legal basis: Article 37 of the Treaty
Final Adoption
DOC. 6030/99 PECHE 31
(poss.) Proposal for a Council regulation allocating the fishing possibilities for certain fish stocks and modifying regulation no. 48/99 (in particular the allocation of tacs for blue whiting and for new tacs for spurdog and northern shrimps) (X) (Commission proposal awaited)
Final adoption
Fisheries agreements with third countries: cost/benefit analysis
State of play (oral report by the Commission)
Fisheries relations with Morocco
North Sea Conference--Intermediate Ministerial Meeting (IMM) 13-14 March 1997 Bergen, Norway--follow-up
Report by the Commission
(poss.) Presentation of Commission communication to Council and Parliament
Conservation of sandeels
Oral report on state of play by the Commission (at the request of the UK delegation)
Other business
Situation in the Adriatic as a consequence of the events in Kosovo (at the request of the Italian delegation)
Organisation of future work
(X) Item on which a vote may be requested.
10-13 June 1999--European Parliament Elections
14 June 1999--Luxembourg--ECOFIN (possible)
No agenda yet available
14-15 June 1999--Luxembourg--Agriculture Council
No agenda yet available
17-18 June 1999--Luxembourg--Transport Council
No agenda yet available
21 June 1999--Luxembourg--Internal Market Council
No agenda yet available
21-22 June 1999--Luxembourg--General Affairs Council
No agenda yet available
22 June 1999--Luxembourg--Labour and Social Affairs Council (possible)
No agenda yet available
24-25 June 1999--Luxembourg--Environment Council
No agenda yet available
28 June 1999--Luxembourg--Culture and Audiovisual Council
No agenda yet available
28-29 June 1999--Rio de Janeiro--EU-Latin America/Caribbean Summit
No agenda yet available.
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