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Council of the European Union
Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list (a) the forthcoming business in the Council of the European
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Union for November and (b) the major European Union events for the period between 30 November and April 2001. [136810]
Mr. Vaz: To date we have received the detailed agendas for the following Council meetings in November:
- 7 November--Brussels--ECOFIN Council
- Adoption of the agenda
- Approval of the list of "A" items
- Follow-up to the Lisbon European Council meeting
- Adoption of the joint Council-Commission report assessing European financial instruments for risk capital.
- Discussion of the Commission proposal for implementation of the action plan for risk capital and monitoring indicators.
- Adoption of the report on structural performance indicators.
- Discussion of the EPC progress report on the financial and microeconomic impact of aging.
- Preparation for the Nice European Council meeting (poss.) Exchange-rate strategies of countries applying for membership.
- Other business
- 7 November--Brussels--Environment
- Adoption of the agenda
- Approval of the list of "A" items(*)
- Community strategy on climate change strategy debate prior to COP6/preparation for COP6
- Draft Council conclusions
- Commission progress report on the European climate change programme
- Other business(*) Including in particular the Council conclusions on the negotiations for a legally binding international instrument to apply international measures to certain persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
- 9 November--Brussels--Education/Youth
- Adoption of the agenda
- (poss.) Approval of the list of "A" items
- (a) Mobility
- Proposal for a Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, volunteers, teachers and trainers.
- Political agreement
- 5600/00 EDUC 8 SOC 28 JEUN 3 CODEC 59
- 12020/00 CODEC 736 EDUC 133 SOC 318 JEUN 53
- (b) Mobility Action Plan
- Adoption of a Resolution
- Preliminary draft report on future objectives of education systems
- Presentation by the Commission and discussion
- Follow-up to the Leiden seminar on open co-ordination and benchmarking as applied to European education systems
- Information from the Presidency and the Commission
- Contribution to the Luxembourg process
- Adoption of a contribution from the Council (Education) to the Council (Employment and Social Policy)
- Social agenda
- Adoption of a contribution of the Council (Education) to the Council (Employment and Social Policy)
- Follow-up to the meeting of the EU-Latin American Ministers for Higher Education in Paris on 3 November 2000
- Information from the Presidency
- Memorandum on life-long learning
- Presentation by the Commission
- Commission information points
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- (a) Progress reached in the implementation of the European Year of Languages 2001
- (b) Renewal of the United States-Canada-EU co-operation agreements in the field of education and training
- (c) Celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Eurydice information network and of the 25th anniversary of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP)
- (d) Information from the Presidency on the outcome of the Blois seminar entitled "Learn the history of Europe" (13-15 October 2000)
- Young people and Europe: what follow-up measures should be taken following consultations with young people in Europe? (public debate)
- Implementation of the YOUTH programme
- Information from the Commission and exchange of views
- Social inclusion of young people: Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the member states meeting within the Council
- Adoption
- Protection of the young involved in sport--Information from the Commission and exchange of views
- Measures to combat racism in the young
- Contribution by the German delegation
- Other business
- 16 November--Brussels--Research Council
- European Space research
- Commission communication on the realisation of the European space research programme
- Lisbon follow up. Work in progress on:
- Benchmarking (indicators), infrastructures and research, science and society, plan of action e-europe
- Exchange of views
- Option of council resolution
- Commission paper on European space strategy
- Presentation by the Commission
- Exchange of views
- Adoption of council resolution
- Negotiating mandate relating to legal entity of the ITER
- For Approval (false B points)
- Other Business
- Information from the Commission on 'The Innovation of a knowledge based economy'
- Presidency information on the academy of sciences-Alpha Galileo report
- In addition, there will be the following Council meetings:
- 3--Brussels--Social Affairs Council
- No agenda yet available
- 10--Brussels--Development Council
- No agenda yet available
- 15-16--Brussels--Euro-Med Ministerial
- No agenda yet available
- 17--Brussels--Fisheries Council
- No agenda yet available
- 20-21--Brussels--General Affairs Council
- No agenda yet available
- 20-21--Brussels--Agriculture Council
- No agenda yet available
- 23--Brussels--Culture/Audio-visual Council
- No agenda yet available
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- 23-24--Brussels--Budget Council
- No agenda yet available
- 27-28--Brussels--ECOFIN--Council
- No agenda yet available
- 27-28--Brussels--Labour and Social Affairs Council
- No agenda yet available
- 30--Brussels--Justice and Home Affairs Council
- No agenda yet available
- 30--Brussels--Internal Market/Consumer/Tourism Council
- No agenda yet available
- The following are the principle events in the EU between 30 November and April 2001 (certain relevant events are also included: the list is based on the information available at the date of issue:
| Date | Venue | Event |
|---|---|---|
| December | ||
| 1 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council |
| 3 | Brussels | IGC Ministerial Conclave |
| 4-5 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 4 | Brussels | Telecommunications Council |
| 5 | Brussels | Energy and Industry Council |
| 7-9 | Nice | European Council |
| 11 | Brussels | Health Council |
| 11-15 | Strasbourg | EP Plenary |
| 14-15 | Brussels | Fisheries Council |
| 18-19 | Brussels | Environment Council |
| 18 | Brussels | ECOFIN Council |
| 18 | Washington | EU/United States Summit |
| 19-20 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 19 | Ottawa | EU/Canada Summit |
| 20-21 | Brussels | Transport Council |
| 22 | Brussels | Telecommunications Council |
| January | ||
| 12 | Brussels | Fisheries Council (possible) |
| 19 | Brussels | ECOFIN Council |
| 22-23 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 29 | Brussels | Budget Council (possible) |
| February | ||
| 8-9 | Brussels | JHA Information Council |
| 12 | Brussels | ECOFIN Council |
| 12 | Brussels | Education/Youth Council (possible) |
| 12 | Brussels | Research Council |
| 15-17 | Brussels | Informal Employment/Telecommunications Council |
| 19-20 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 26-27 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| March | ||
| 6 | Brussels | Employment and Social Affairs Council |
| 8 | Brussels | Environment Council |
| 12 | Brussels | ECOFIN Council |
| 12 | Brussels | Internal Market/Consumer Council |
| 15 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council |
| 16 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council |
| 19 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 19 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 20 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 20-21 | Brussels | Fisheries Council (possible) |
| 23-24 | Stockholm | European Council |
| 31-1 | Brussels | Meeting of Environment Ministers |
| April | ||
| 5-6 | Brussels | Transport/Telecommunications Council |
| 8-10 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 8-10 | Brussels | Agriculture Council (Informal) |
| 24-25 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
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International Criminal Court
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government will ratify the statute creating the International Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement. [135530]
Mr. Hain: The UK will ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as soon as the necessary legislation is in place. The International Criminal Court Bill was published in draft on 25 August for consultation and will be introduced as soon as the Parliamentary timetable allows.
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