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Written Answers
Thursday, 27th February 1997.
EU Council: Forthcoming Business
The Earl of Northesk asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for March, and to list major EU events for the next six months.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey):
Monthly Forecast of business for March 1997
The following Councils are scheduled:
March 1-2: Development Aid Council (Informal)
March 2-3: Education Council (Informal)
March 3-4: Environment Council
March 6: Telecommunications Council
March 10: Internal Market Council
March 11-12: Transport Council
March 14-15: Social Affairs Council (Informal)
March 17-18: Agriculture Council
March 24-25: General Affairs Council
The following subjects are likely to be discussed:
March 1-2: Development Aid Council (Informal)
March 2-3: Education Council (Informal)
March 3-4: Environment Council
Approval of the list of "A" items.
Community Strategy on Climate Change: Council Conclusions.
Commission Communication: Implementing Community Environmental Law: Policy Debate.
Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the signing and conclusion of an International Agreement between the European Community, Canada and the Russian Federation on Humane Trapping Standards: Progress report on negotiations with Third Countries.
Amended proposal for a Council decision on a Community action programme promoting Non-governmental Organisations primarily active in the field of Environmental Protection (Legal basis proposed by the Commission: Article 130S(1)): Common Position.
Future strategy for the control of Atmospheric Emissions from road transport taking into account the results from the auto/oil programme: Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of
the Council relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/12/EEC; Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to measures to be taken against air pollution by emissions from motor vehicles and amending Council Directives 70/156/EEC and 70/220/EEC; Second auto/oil programme: Policy Debate.Proposal for a Council Directive on the reduction of emissions of organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents in certain industrial activities: Policy Debate.
Presentation by the Commission: (possible items).
Proposal for a directive on energy taxes.
Proposal for a framework directive on water.
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Environmental agreements: Policy Debate.
Commission communication on environmental taxes and charges in the Single Market: Presentation by the Commission;
Proposal for a directive on Landfill: Presentation by the Commission (possible item);
Report on the workshop for the preparation of the informal Ministerial Meeting on small and medium-sized undertakings and the environment: Presidency Statement;
Re-examination of Directive 90/220/EEC on the deliberate release into the environmental of genetically modified organisms: Statement by the Austrian Delegation;
Taxation of energy and in particular kerosene: Statement by the Austrian Delegation;
Situation regarding the European Agreement on CO 2 emissions from cars: French Delegation request for information from the Commission;
First European Conference on the sustainable development of the Islands (Menorca, 23 to 26 April 1997): Information from the Spanish Delegation.
March 6: Telecommunications Council
Adoption of the provisional agenda.
Adoption of the list of "A" points (possible item).
Proposal for a European Parliament and Council directive on the application of open network provision (ONP) to voice telephony and on universal service for telecommunications in a competitive environment (replacing European Parliament and Council Directive 95/62/EC): Common Position (Legal basis proposed by the Commission: Article 100A).
Ongoing Co-decision procedures with the European Parliament Interconnection Directive, TENS Telecoms, Licensing Directive, Satellite S-PCS Decision.
Action Plan from the Commission on satellite communications: Presentation by the Commission (with reference to Action Plan on Space).
UMTS (next generation of mobile communications): Report by the Commission.
WTO negotiations: report by the Commission;
Implementation of telecoms directives.
March 10: Internal Market Council
PARNUTS (Foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses).
Miscellaneous Additives (possible item).
March 11-12: Transport Council
Proposed amendment to Directive 92/14 on phase-out of noisy aircraft: for political agreement on Common Position.
Aviation fuel duty: debate on Resolution calling for Commission study on effects of imposition.
Proposal for mandate for Commission to negotiate Community membership of European Aviation Safety Authority: for debate.
Proposal for mandate for Commission to negotiate Community membership of EUROCONTROL: debate.
Proposed amendment to Regulation 3821/85 to allow for new digital tachograph: Common Position.
Interoperability of Road Pricing Technology: adoption of Resolution.
Proposed Regulation on Pilot Actions for Combined Transport: for political agreement on Common Position.
Proposed directive on Heavy Goods Vehicle Charging and Taxes: debate.
Proposed eighth directive on Summertime: for Common Position.
Negotiations with Switzerland: debate.
Report on the work of the high-level group on public private partnerships/TENS.
March 14-15: Social Affairs Council (Informal)
Preparation of Stage III of EMU.
Convergence programme of France.
Convergence programme of Germany.
Annual report of the Court of Auditors and budget discharge.
Solvency Ratio Direct for Credit Institutions (Mortgages) (possible item).
March 17-18: Agriculture Council
Beef labelling/Cattle identification.
Arable penalties (possible item).
Agricultural price fixing (possible item).
Veterinary and phytosanitary equivalence agreements.
Structured dialogue with Central and Eastern European countries.
Fruit grubbing-up scheme (possible item).
Agrimony compensation for appreciable revaluations (possible item).
March 24-25: General Affairs Council
First Draft Agenda--likely to change.
Commercial questions: conclusion of an agreement on Information Technology.
Preparation of the 23rd ACP-EC Council of Ministers (24-25 April 1997).
European Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia.
Baltic States: European Agreement.
VIIth Ministerial Meeting between the EU and the Rio Group.
European Calendar: March-August 1997
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.
| Date | Location | Event |
| March 1997 | ||
| 1-2 | Amsterdam | Development Aid Council (Informal) |
| 2-3 | Amsterdam | Education Council (Informal) |
| 3-4 | Brussels | Environment Council |
| 6 | Brussels | Telecommunications Council |
| 10 | Brussels | Internal Market Council |
| 10-14 | Strasbourg | European Parliamentary Plenary |
| 11-12 | Brussels | Transport Council |
| 13 | Brussels | Political Committee |
| 14-15 | Rotterdam | Social Affairs Council (Informal) |
| 15-16 | Apeldoorn | Gymnich (Informal) |
| 17 | Brussels | Ecofin Council |
| 17-18 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 24-25 | Brussels | General Affairs Council (and IGC Ministerial) |
| April 1997 | ||
| 4-6 | Noordwijk | Ecofin Council (Informal) |
| 6-8 | Maastricht | Informal meeting of Cultural Affairs Ministers |
| 7-10 | Strasbourg | European Parliament Plenary |
| 9-11 | The Hague | Ministerial Conference on Social Integration |
| 10 | Brussels | Political Committee |
| 10 | Luxembourg | Consumer Council |
| 14-15 | Luxembourg | Fisheries Council |
| 17 | Luxembourg | Social Affairs Council |
| 18-19 | Maastricht | Post-Lome Ministerial meeting |
| 18-20 | Amsterdam | Environment Council (Informal) |
| *20-22 | Warsaw | Meeting of EU and PHARE--Country Education Ministers |
| 21-22 | The Netherlands | Political Committee |
| 21-22 | Luxembourg | Agriculture Council |
| 23 | Brussels | European Parliament Plenary |
| 24 | Luxembourg | Industry Council |
| 24-25 | Luxembourg | ACP/EU Ministerial Conference |
| 24-25 | The Hague | International Conference on Innovative Research, and Appropriate Health Care for the People of Europe |
| 24-26 | The Hague | Ministerial Conference on Trafficking in Women |
| 25 | Brussels | European Parliament Plenary |
| 29-30 | Luxembourg | General Affairs Council (and IGC Ministerial) |
| May 1997 | ||
| 6-7 | Strasbourg | Council of Europe Ministerial |
| 12 | Brussels | Ecofin Council |
| 12-13 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 12-13 | Paris | WEU Ministerial |
| 12-16 | Strasbourg | European Parliament Plenary |
| 14-15 | Brussels | Research Council |
| 15 | Brussels | Political Committee |
| 20 | Brussels | Internal Market Council |
| 22 | Brussels | Political Committee |
| 25-27 | Domburg | Agriculture Council (Informal) |
| 26 | Brussels | Energy Council |
| 27-28 | Brussels | Justice and Home Affairs Council |
| 28-29 | Brussels | European Parliament Plenary |
| 29 | Brussels | Telecommunications Council |
| June 1997 | ||
| 2-3 | Luxembourg | General Affairs Council (and IGC Ministerial) |
| 5 | Luxembourg | Health Council |
| 5 | Luxembourg | Development Council |
| 5-6 | The Hague | K4 Committee |
| 9 | Luxembourg | Ecofin Council |
| 9-10 | Luxembourg | Agriculture Council |
| 9-13 | Strasbourg | European Parliament Plenary |
| 10 | Luxembourg | General Affairs Council (tbc) |
| 12 | Luxembourg | Social Affairs Council |
| 16-17 | Amsterdam | European Council |
| 17-18 | Luxembourg | Transport Council |
| 19 | Brussels | Political Committee |
| 20-22 | Denver | G7 |
| 23 | Luxembourg | Fisheries Council |
| 23 | Luxembourg | Ecofin Council (tbc) |
| 23-24 | Luxembourg | Environment Council |
| 25-26 | Brussels | European Parliament Plenary |
| 26 | Luxembourg | Education Council |
| *26 | Luxembourg | General Affairs Council |
| 30 | Luxembourg | Culture Council |
| July 1997 | ||
| 1 | Luxembourg | Presidency begins |
| 7 | Brussels | Ecofin Council |
| 10-11 | Luxembourg | Political Committee |
| 12-13 | Luxembourg | Labour and Social Affairs Council (Informal) |
| 14-18 | Strasbourg | European Parliament Plenary |
| 21-22 | Brussels | Agriculture Council |
| 22-23 | Brussels | General Affairs Council |
| 24 | Brussels | Budget Council |
| August 1997 | ||
| There are no events scheduled for August. |
*Figures that have changed since last calendar month.
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