---

2 Apr 1998 : Column WA55

Written Answers

Thursday, 2nd April 1998.

Baltic States and Russia: Aid

The Earl of Carlisle asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much aid they have given to (a) Estonia; (b) Latvia; (c) Lithuania; and (d) the Russian Federation since 1991; and whether they have received value for money for such aid.[HL1198]

Lord Whitty: The UK Government have provided technical assistance worth £3,210,000 to Estonia, £3,234,000 to Latvia, £4,400,000 to Lithuania and £153,834,000 to the Russian Federation since 1991.

In addition to this, the Military Assistance Fund provides approximately £500,000 a year for the Baltic States. The majority of this is spent supporting the joint Baltic military projects (Baltic Peacekeeping Battalion BALTBAT, Baltic Mine Squadron BALTRON, etc). The remainder covers smaller bilateral activities. Expenditure is roughly equal in each of the three states. The UK Military Training Assistance Scheme (UKMTAS) has spent almost £1 million on the Baltic States since 1995.

Our programmes of assistance have supported priorities identified by the governments concerned, and we have had frequent indications from them that our support has been well targeted and effective. Our contracting procedures ensure that the consultants who implement our projects provide good value for money.

European Council: Forthcoming Business for April

Lord Hardy of Wath asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for April; and list the major European Union events for the next six months.[HL1356]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean): See attached programme:

The following Councils are scheduled:

Monthly forecast of business for April 1998

Date	Location
April 7	Luxembourg	Social Affairs Council
April 20-21	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
April 21	Luxembourg	ECOFIN Council
April 23	Luxembourg	Consumer Affairs Council
April 24-26	Chester	Environment and Transport (Informal)
April 27-28	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
April 30	Luxembourg	Health Council

The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

April 7: Social Affairs Council

National Employment Action Plans (taken with ELMC 1998 Work Programme): Political debate.

European Community Statute: Political debate.

Protection of workers from asbestos: Adoption of Council Conclusions.

Fundamental Review of Regulation 1408/71 (Social Security): Political debate.

Action plan against racism and xenophobia: Presentation.

Working time: Excluded sectors: Presentation.

Report of the High-level Group on industrial restructuring: Presentation.

Protection of workers from carcinogens: Presentation.

Directive on protection of workers from chemical agents: Possible A point.

Modifications to Regulation 1408/71 (Social Security)--miscellaneous amendments: Possible A point.

April 20-21: Agriculture Council

Agenda not yet available.

April 21: Ecofin Council

EIB lending to Bosnia.

Access to Capital.

Preparation of Stage 3 of EMU.

Package of measures for SMEs.

2 Apr 1998 : Column WA56

April 23: Consumer Affairs Council

Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees: Common position.

Effective application and enforcement of the Community consumer legislation: Debate.

European Home and Leisure Accidents Surveillance System (EHLASS): Exchange of views on the state of work.

Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and the Council establishing a general framework for Community activities in favour of consumers: Presentation by the Commission and (possible) exchange of views.

Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the distance selling of financial services. Presentation by the Commission.

(possible) Evaluation report by the Commission on priorities for consumer policy: Presentation by the Commission.

Commission Action Plan on the extrajudicial settlement of consumer disputes: Presentation by the Commission of the state of work. April 24-26: Environment and Transport (Informal)

No formal agenda. April 27-28: General Affairs Council

Agenda 2000 (possible item).

Lome.

2 Apr 1998 : Column WA57

Transatlantic relations--Preparation of EU/US summit and EU/Canada summit.

ASEM II: Report.

Switzerland.

South Africa Agreement.

Turkey (possible item).

Euromed (possible item).

Egypt (possible item).

Middle East peace process.

Western Balkans.

Ukraine (possible item).

World Trade Organisation: Ministerial meeting in Geneva (possible item).

Russia. April 30: Health Council

Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council adopting a programme of Community action 1999-2003 on rare diseases within the framework for action in the field of public health: Common position.

Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council adopting a programme of Community action from 1999 to 2003 on injury prevention in the context of action in the field of public health: Political debate.

Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council adopting a programme of Community action from 1999 to 2003 on pollution-related diseases in the context of action in the field of public health: Common position.

Proposal for a Council recommendation on suitability of blood and plasma donors and the screening of donated blood in the European Community: Adoption.

Integration of health protection requirements in Community policies: Report by the Commission, (possible) Council conclusions.

(possible) State of health in the European Union: Report by the Commission on migrant health.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies based on Commission Services Working Paper and Commission communication following receipt of EP report on BSE: (possible) Council conclusions.

(possible) Political debate and conclusion on future health challenges to be taken into account in the development of a framework for Community action in the field of public health in the first part of the 21st century: (possible) Presidency conclusions.

Proposal for a Council Recommendation on non-ionising radiation: Presentation by the Commission. 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.

2 Apr 1998 : Column WA58

European Calendar: April-September 1998

Date	Location	Event
April 1998
1-3	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
2-4	London	ASEM II
3-5	Leeds Castle	G8 Environment Ministerial
6-7	London	DTI Enterprising Europe Conference
6-8	Birmingham	Audiovisual Conference
6-8	Birmingham	Culture Committee
7	Luxembourg	Social Affairs Council
7	Brussels	Political Committee
16	Brussels	Political Committee
20-21	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
21	Luxembourg	ECOFIN Council
23	Luxembourg	Consumer Affairs Council
24-26	Chester	Environment & Transport (Informal)
27-28	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
29-30	Brussels	European Parliament
30	Luxembourg	Health Council
May 1998
1-3	Brussels	Ecofin & Special EMU Council
5	Brussels	Political Committee (t.b.c.)
5-6	Belfast	EU Ministers Womens Forum (Informal)
7	Brussels	Industry Council
8-9	London	G8 Foreign & Finance Ministerial
10-12	Newcastle	Agriculture (Informal)
11	Brussels	Energy Council (t.b.c.)
11	Brussels	Euro-Med Energy Ministerial
11-15	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
12	Brussels	Political Committee
14	London	EU/Canada Summit
14-15	London	Innovative Partnerships for Competitiveness Conference
14-16	London	Conference on Culture and Employment
15-17	Birmingham	G8 Summit
18	London	EU/US Summit
18	Brussels	Development Council
18	Brussels	Internal Market Council
18-20	Northern Ireland	Regional Affairs Committee
19	Brussels	Telecoms Council
19	Brussels	ECOFIN Council
20	London	EU Public Administration Ministers meeting
25-26	Brussels	General Affairs Council
25-26	Brussels	Agriculture Council
27-28	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
28	Brussels	Culture and Audiovisual Council
28-29	Brussels	Justice & Home Affairs Council
June 1998
2	Luxembourg	Political Committee
4	Luxembourg	Education & Social Affairs Council
5	Luxembourg	ECOFIN Council
8	Luxembourg	Fisheries Council
8-9	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council (t.b.c.)
8-9	Glasgow	Regional Policy/Spatial Planning Ministers' informal
15-16	Cardiff	European Council
15-19	Strasbourg	European Parliament Plenary
16-17	Luxembourg	Environment Council
17	Luxembourg	Joint Environment & Transport Council
18	Luxembourg	Transport Council
19	Glasgow	Energy & Environment Conference
22	Luxembourg	Research Council
22-23	Luxembourg	Agriculture Council
25	Brussels	Presidency Biotechnology Round Table
29-30	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council (t.b.c.)
July 1998
1-2	Brussels	European Parliament Plenary
6	Brussels	ECOFIN Council
6-7	Luxembourg	Political Committee
8-10	Innsbruck	Employment/Social Affairs/Women (Informal)
13	Luxembourg	Political Committee
13-14	Luxembourg	General Affairs Council
17-19	Luxembourg	Environment Council (Informal)
20-21	Brussels	Agriculture Council
23	Luxembourg	Political Committee
27	Luxembourg	Budget Council
August 1998
September 1998
3	Brussels	Political Committee
5-6	Salzburg	Foreign Ministers (Informal)
7-8	Brussels	Special Committee on Agriculture
11	Brussels	Culture Council
14-15	Brussels	Special Committee on Agriculture
19-22	St. Wolfgang, Austria	Agriculture Council (Informal)
24	Brussels	Justice & Home Affairs
24	Brussels	Internal Market
28	Brussels	Political Committee
28-29	Brussels	Agriculture Council

2 Apr 1998 : Column WA59

---