1262nd Meeting of the Council (General Affairs). Council Press Release 8236/88 (Presse 137), Brussels, 26 September 1988

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES GENERAL SECRETARIAT

PRESS

RELEASE

8236188 (Presse 137)

l262nd Councll meeting

- General Affairs

-Brussets, 26 SePtember 1988

President: Mr theodoros PANGALOS

Deputy Minister for

Forelgn Affairs of the

Hellenic RePublic

-2-The Governnents of the iilember State§ and the Commission of the European Communities were represented as follows:

Belgium:

Mr Andrê GEENS

MT PAUI DE KEERSMAEKER

Denmark:

Mr KNUd-EriK TYGESEN

Germany:

Mrs Irmgard ADAM-SCHUAETZER

Greece :

Mr Theodoros PANGALOS

Spain:

Mr Pedro SOLBES MIRA

Mr Luis YANEZ BARNUEVO

France:

Mrs Edith CRESSON

Ireland:

Mr Sean CALLEARY

26.IX.88

tlinister for Development Co-operation

State Secretary for European Affairs

State SecretarY,

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister of State,

E'ederal t'{inistry of Foreign Affairs

Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs

State Seeretary for Relations with the European Comrnunities

State Secretary for International Co-operation and Latin America

Minister for EuroPean Affairs

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs

-3-o

oo

26. IX.88

l-qert:

Mr' l(etrato RUGGIERO

Mr Gianni MANZOLINI

Luxembourg:

Mr Joseph I,IEYLAND

Netherlands: Mr P.C. NIEMAN

Portugal:

Mr José Manuel DURAO BARROSSO

MT VitoT MARTINS

Unrted Kingdom:

Mr Christopher PATTEN

Mrs Lynda CHALKER

Commission:

Mr Lorenzo NATALI Mr Grigoris VARFIS

Mr trtilry DE CLERCQ

Mlnlster for !'orelgn Trade

State Secretary for Foreign Affairs

Ambassador,

Permanent Representative

Ambassador,

Permanent Representat ive

State Secretary for Foreign Affairs

and Co-Operation

State Secretary for European

Integration

Minister for Overseas Development

Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Vice President

Member Member

-1-26.IX.88

nelnrrqNs uIlH TIJE _WIÎED §

- COUNCIL DEçI,ARATION

The Council

expresses serious concern at the prot-ecti.oni.st potantial of the nOmnibus Trade

and competitivenes.s Act of l98p1",9o pcll as t[ose provisions thereof which could lead to greater _,recopr§e tP Unilptcral mea§ures by the United States

which would be inconsistent with the Punta del Este decllration and with our

common commitment to the urultilat-eral trtdLng'sy§tcn,

while recognizing that the Act Srants to thc Àdmini.str?tion thc authority to negotiate in the Uruguay Round. strcssês the nGcessity for the provisions of

the Trade Act to be applied in full conformity .h,ith the rules of the GATT,

declares that the Cpmmrrnity $ff] Ap$$tpf t.he ipplemcntatiAn of the lrade Act very closely, and wiII têke pro-mpt _Fction to dcfcnd its legitimate rights if

its interests are affected,

- in order to avoid further risk pf eonfrontetion end of undcrmining the

multilateral trade negotiations, urf,Gs the Unitcd Stetes to mtlntain the

d ialogue .

The Council recalls the for@I obJêctions whi.ch it hes medc to the draft tegi.slation in the fietd of textilcs, epperet -end footwelr noh, lpproved, by Congress and expresses the hopc thrt it would not be cnactcd sincc such a

development would seriously affect tradc in'this sector end ieopardize the

Uruguay Round negotiations.

-5-26. IX.88

RENEI{AL OF THE ACP-EEC CONVENTION

The Council carried out a detailed examination of the Community position with

respect to the negotiations for the renewal of the Lomé Convention, which wiII begin in Luxembourg on 12 and 13 October 1988. It instructed the Permanent

Representatives Committee to finallze this position.

REFORM OF THE STRUCTURAL FUNDS

The Council noted an oral progress report by the Chairman of the Permanent

Representatives Committee on the four implementing Regulations, which the

Commission submitted to the Council at the end of JuIy, following the adoption in

June of the framework Regulation on the reform of the structural funds.

The Council invited the Permanent Representatives Committee and the ad hoc Working Party on Structural Funds to expedite their discussions in order to

enable the Council to hold as detailed and conclusive a discussion as possible at rts October meetinS.

-6-26. IX.88

AUDrO-VISUAL CO-OPEqATION IN EUROPE

The Council took note of a statement by the French Minister on the French

Governmentrs initiative in launchlng wide-ranging co-operation in Europe in the

audio-visual field - audio-visual Eureka - encomPasssing the legal framework, technical standards and programme production. the French delegation wilI be

submitting an operational proposal to its partners shortly.

-I-26. IX.88

MISCELLANEOUS DECISIONS

Trade policy and customs union

The Council adopted the Regulations

- temporarily suspending the autonomous Common Customs Tariff duty on crude

proteinaceous material extracts for purification to human interferon (CN ex 3504 00 00)

- 3% duty from 1 October to 31 December 1988;

- on Community tariff quotas to be opened for:

= certain wines having a registered designation of origin, originating in Tunisa (50 OOO hl at 0% duty for certain quality wines in bottles holding

2 litres or less having an alcohollc strengfth of 150 or less);

= cut flowers and flower buds, fresh, originating in Cyprus (55 tonnes at

reduced rates of duty in accordance with a seasonal timetable).

The Council also approved a draft Decision to be adopted by the EEC-Yugoslavia

Co-operation Council amending the rrOrigin" Protocol to take account of Spanish

and Portuguese accession to the European Communities.

The Council then adopted the Decision concerning the provisional application of an agreed minute modifying the Agreement between the EEC and Hong Kong on trade in texile products. (Pending concluslon of this minute, the modifications

agreed to therein will be applied with effect from 1 January 1988 in the

Community subiect to reciprocity by Hong Kong).

- II

-26. IX.88

RESEARCH

The Council adopted the Decisions concerning

- the conclusion of a Co-operation Agreement between the EEC and the Repubtic of

Austria on research related to advanced materials (EURAM)

- the conclusion of a Co-operation Agreement beth,een the EEC and the Kingdom of

Sweden on research in the field of wood, including cork, as a renewable raw

material

- the conclusion of a Co-operation Agreement between the EEC and the Republic of

Finland on research in the field of wood, including cork, as a renewable raw

material

- the conclusion of a Co-operation Agreement between the EEC and the Kingdom of

Sweden on research in the field of the recycling and utilization of waste

,1ec

After examining a report from the Comnission dated 14 April 1987 on the

implementation of the Resolution of 22 July 1975 on the technological problems of nuclear safety, the Council adopted the following conclusions:

. III

-"Having discussed the Commission report safety, which was primarily devoted to

reactors (6058/87 AlO 44), the Council

council Resolution of 22 July tszs (*)

for developrng a harmonized approach at Community level and to facilitate

co-operation on a broader international scale'

l. The Council noted the fact that in the case of light h'ater reactors and fast

breeder reactors significant progress had been made in mutual understanding between Member states as regards safety criteria and guidelines '

It took note of the commissionrs undertaking to publish shortly a document,

drawn up with the assistance of experts from the Member States, setting out the consensus on tight water reactor safety and following up the Commission communication to the council of 5 october 1981 in 9?78181 ATO 74'

2. The Council reiterated the lmportance which lt attached to co-operation on nuclear plant safety. such co-operation helped to ensure mutual ah'areness

r,understanding of methodologies and plans used in checking on that safety' to increase the general level of knowledge and to encourage the use of better pract ices .

(+) OJ No L 185, 14.8.1975, P- 1.

8236 en/88 (Presse 137) kin/AH/bt

26. IX.88

on technological problems of nuclear light h,ater reactors and fast breeder

shared the Commissionrs view that the

-IV-26. IX.88

In this connection, the Council took note of the Cormissionrs intention of continuing with its work under the Council Resolution of 22 JuIy 1975.

3. At this stage, the Council endorsed in particular the Commission's intention

of continuing with its work and

- extending it to all types of nuclear poh,er reactors in the Community;

- promoting co-operation in the field of safety reviews at national level;

- in order to facilitate optimum use of R & D resources in the Community and

assist the Coimmission in preparing research and training programmes to that end, periodically establishing a list of:

= human resources and major facillties in the Community devoted to research and development regarding nuclear plant safety;

= current projects.

4. The Councll also attached prime importance to the strengthening of

co-operation on nuclear safety between on the one hand the Member States

together with the Community and on the other the IAEA along with other

relevant international organizations involving non-member States where there

were maJor nuclear actlvltles whose safety h,ae very important to the people

of the Community.

-v-26. IX.88

Accordingly, it stressed the lmportance it attached to the Community and its

Member States continuing to develop thelr support in the fielcl of nuclear safety for international co-operation activities at a leveI wider than the Community, in particular the NUSS (rrNuclear Safety Standards") programme of

the IAEA and the operational safety assessment services offered by the IAEA,

e.g. OSART ("Operational Safety review Teamsrr).

5. The Council noted that the Commission reports referred to in point 8 of the

above Resolution would make it possible to monitor progress under that

Resolution and these conclusions,rl

-vI-26. IX.88

ECSC

The Council gave its assent to

- the draft Commission decision fixing the delivery levels of ECSC steel products of Spanish origin onto the rest of the common market, excluding Portugal;

- the draft Commission decision fixing the delivery levels of ECSC steel products of portuguese _origin onto the rest of the common market, excluding Spain.

Appointments

The Council aPPointed

- on a proposal from the United Kingdom Government, Mr Anthony FAGIN alternate member of the Advisory Committee on Education and Training in the field of Architecture to replace Mrs Jenny WILLIAMS for the remainder of the latterrs

term of office, i.e. untLl 22 March 1990;

- on a proposal from the Italian Government, Maestra Ostetrica Daniela CALISTRI alternate member of the Advisory Committee on the Training of Midwives in place of Mrs Adriana PAMPALONI for the remainder of the latterrs term of office,

which runs until 6 October 1989'

Bruxe! _{les, le 23 septembre lggg.}

BIO(88)3O5 AUX BUREAUX NATIONAUX

CC. AUX MEMBRES _{DU SERVICE DU PORTE-PAROLE}

ffi

$3

SuJets

trattês

:

I _{Walver :}

r-;;;:-ffi:.;-*;;1

,tc

_%l-,

En réponse _â des questlons

qul

demandalent _{des rêactlons de la} commlsslon

_{sur le falt}

_que

_le

_consel

_I

_{du GATT du 22}

septembre

n'avalt

pas _{acceptê ta constttutlon d,un panel demanctê}

_par

la cormunautê

_sur

r a dêrogat _r on _{amêr r ca r} ne pour _{res proctu}

r ts

agrlcores'

nous avons rndrquê qu'I

_t

_s,agtssart

_{rà seurenrent d,un}

report,

que _{les Etats-Unls s,êtatent opàosês}

_{â la}

_constltutlon

de

ce panel mals qu,une _{maJorltê tmportanie}

_êtalt

_cn

_faveur.

_cette

demande _de panel sera _{donc réexamlnêe au prochaln}

consell du

GATT.

rr

ne

s'agrt

donc pas d,un échec comme

l.

tnterprêtarent

certalns

_{Journal lstes mals d,un slmpte report.}

t

_{Préparatron conselr Affarres Gênêrares}

_(F.

LE BArL)

Le consel _{I Affalres Gênérales du tunda zg septembre devralt} ne

durer qu'une _matlnée.

Deux polnts â t,ordre du Jour _:

une dêclaratlon du Consett sur le Trade Bl I ! par taquel _{le les}

Mlnlstres et !a Conrnlsslon _{réafflrmeront au nlveau pot ltlque leur}

préoccupatlon _{face au potentlel protecttonnlste que}

reprêsente

cettc léglslatlon et réafflrmeront leur volonté de sutvre avec la

plus grande _{attentlon la mlse en oeuvre de ees mesurês.}

D.autre

part, _{res Mrnrstres drscuteront du mandat}

de negààiatrons â

accorder à la Corrnlsslon pour _{Lomê lV.}

En f ln de _{matlnêe, ll sera} procédê _{à ta}

"tg;"tu.è orf tclel le de l'accord _de commerce _{et de coopér"iion avec la Hongrle.}

Cet

accord, lê premler de _{ceux négoclês avec les pays de rEst sera}

slgnê par Mr Jozsef MARJAt, vice-Premter _{Mtnlstre.et Mlntstre du}

commerce pour r a Hongr r

e, et

par MM. panga _I os

et

_à"

'c'i'àrii'oIrl'

I a Comnrunauté.

r _{Préparatron de la réunlon lnforme!}

re des Mlnlstres de | ' I ntêr t eur (H. _LOHAN)

La rêunlon lnformel le des _{Mlnlstres de r lntér teur de ce wêek-end}

portera esentle!lement sur le rô!e des admtntstrattons rocales

dans le contexte du grand marchê _{et de ta cohêston économlque et}

soclale' La présldence grecque _{va soumettre aux olsèussrons plus}

partlcut _{tèrement deux làees :}

la crêatlon d,rlP banque de données pour amêl lorer le flux

d'lnformatrons entic tes admtntstrattons _{rocares ct ra}

Communautê,

le renforcement _{de la coopêratton éntre les Instltuts} de f I nancement _{r ocaux et r es r nst}

r tut rons _{co,mmunauta r res}

spêclar rsées dans re frnancement _{de proJets rocaux.}

t

::::::::l:" du conser I Agr rcurture (N. WEGTER) (votr Bto ₂₃₄₎

I ll^

(ml!!és,

Bruxel _{les, le 26 septembre l9gg.}

BIO(88)3O5 _{(sutte t) AUX BUREAUX NATtoNAUX} CC. AUX MEMBRES _{DU SERVICE DU PORTE-PAROLE}

conser _{r Affarres Gênêrares 26 septembre tggg} :

(F. LE BA!L)

Reratrons wrth the unrted

States

Trade

Act

:

Mr De _{Clercq a tntrodult ce suJet qut étalt â l,ordre du}

Jour.du

conserr

_â

_r'rnrtratrve

_{de ra corrmrssron cn farsant}

_varorr

_quc

re

Tradc Btl I étalt sans doute _{molns mauvals que dans sa versron}

lnrtrare mars qu'I r n'en restart _{pas morns potentrcr rement}

'protectlonnlste.

La Commlsslon, _{a_t_l I dlt, est prêoccupêe pour}

trols ralsons essentrer !es. D,une part, le _{Trade Bl r r favorlsc}

!a prlse de mesures _{unllatêrates qur sont contralres au}

GATT,

d'autre part, r r t rmrte re pouvorr _{drscrétronnarre de}

l'Admlnlstratlon en matlêre da polttlque _{cotnmerclale, enf ln, ll} favorlse I rnf ruence des robbres en raveur d,actrons non

conformes _au GATT.

A r'!ssue de _{cette rnterventlon, tê conser! a adoptê ra tcxtc}

sulvant â l'unanlmltê :

Dêclaratlon _{du Consel I :}

"The Councl I

expresses serlous concern _{at the protectlonlst poientlat of the}

"Omnlbus Trade and Competltlveness _{Àct of lggg,, as wêll as thosc}

provlslons thereof whlch could lead to greater _{recourse to}

unl lateral measures _{by the unlted states whlch would be}

lnconsrstent wrth the punta _{der Este decraratron and wtth}

our common commrtment _{to the murtr taterar tradtng system,}

- whlle recognlztng _{thât the Act grants to the Admlntstratlon}

the

authorlty to negotrate rn the _{uruàuay Àouno, stresses the}

necesstty for the provlstons of the irade Act to _{f ul I conformtty wlth the rutes of the} be appt led ln

GATT;

declares that the communlty wl _{ll monltor the lmplementatlon of}

the Trade _{Act very crosery, and wrr r take prompt actron to}

defend

Its legrtrmate rrghts tf its tnterests are affected. ln order to avord f urther r rsk of _{conf rontatron anct of}

undermtntng _{the muttt taterat trade n"gàttatlons, uiJ"" the}

Unttcd

States to malntaln the dlalogue

The _{Counctl recatts the formal objectlons whlch lt}

has made to

!h" draf t tegtstatlon ln the f letà of texttte, apparet and

footwear _{whrch has now been adopted by congress and}

expresses the hope _{that lt would not be enacted stnàe such a development}

would

serlously affect trade ln thts sector and _{Jeop6p6p=a the Uruguay}

Round negot l at Ions. _"

2

t Slgnaturc dê l'Accord CElHongrtc :

A l'lssuc du consell, Mr pangalos pour la prêstdence, _{Mt, Dc}

clcrcq pour la corunlsslon, ct Mr _{MarJal, vlce-premtei ulnlstr,ç et}

Mlnlstre du Cornrêrcc pour la _{Hongrle ont} procêdê _{â la slgnatqrc} of f !clcl lc dc I 'accord CElHongr le. (pour _{contcnu dc t,aécord,}

volr notc lP(aa)419).

A ccttc occaslon, Mr Dc _{clcrcq a mls l,aeccnt tur lc falt eucrcct} accord marqualt le dêbut _{d'unc êre nouvelle dan! lcs rclatlonr}

entre la Communautê et la Hongrle. Sclon lul _{dcux ralsons orlt}

prêsldê à cette rêussltc ranarguablc. D,abord l,amêl loratlon du

cl lmat gênêral des _{relatlons entre l,Est et l,ousst. Ensulte,}

l'accêlêratlon du prograffmc _{dc rêformr êconomlgua entreprrs ptir}

lc gouverncment _{hongrols. ll a poursulv! ên souilgnant qu,un}

accord lntcrnatlonal drvalt bênêflclr _aux deux paittes. .vous avGz, a-t-l I dlt aux Ml,nlstrGS hongro.l:s, _{attclnt votre obJcct,lf}

qul êtalt d'obtenlr unc _{datc flxe pour l,abol ltlon des}

restrlctlons quantltatlvê8. _{Les entrgprlses cormunautalres} dolvent de leur côtê pouvolr amêt lorer l,accês â votrc _marchâ.,

I I a falt valolr _leS pooatbl I ltês qu,offralent le chapttrc

"coopêratlon' dG l'Accord. _"La communautê, _{a-t-lI dlt, cst três}

actlvê dans un ccrtaln nombrG _de domalnes _{cn partlcul lcr}

l'ünvlronnGmênt, lé dêvêloppcment clê nouvGl les _{sources d,êncrDtG,}

lc problêmc _{dGg transports ct nous pouvons traval I lcr antc[nbla} dans toug ccs scctturg..

ir:

.1

TI

Amr t

,€,,

c.o.

Eht Grma

0

I

É

Bruxel _{les, le 27 septembre lggg}

t'lorE Blo(88) 3os (surte 2 et f rn) AUx BUREAUX NATTONAUX

CC. AUX MEMBRES _{DU SERVICE DU PORTE-PAROLE}

CONSEIL AFFAIRES _(c. GENERALES DU 26 SEPTEMBRE ₁₉₈₈ (su|te et fIn) STATHOPOULOS)

FUTURE CONVENT ION ACP TCEÉ.

ATTENTToN Drs

:

_{Trors pornts maJeurs de drvergenec}

subsrstent:

Le Consell n'a _{pas ou} dégager _{un accord sur le proJet de}

dlrectlves de négoctatloÀ _{pour le renouvel tement de la Conventlon} de Lomê. A I rssue des _{drscusstons, ra} présrdence _{a ctêcrdé de}

renvoyer le dossler au coREpER. _{sl l,examen du mandat de}

négoclatlon _{par les Reprêsentants permanents ne donne pas}

Gle

rêsultats, la Prêsldenee _{a l'lntentlon de convoquer unc rêunlon}

spêctale du Consel I dans !a matlnêe du 12 octobre, af ln que la

communauté pursse _{ensurte entamer res nêgocratrons avec}

res pays

ACP, comme prévu, _{dans l,aprês_mldl du même}

Jour.

a) L',extensron géograohroue _{de ta future conventlon. Le} compromls _{dtscuté prêvoyatt que la Namlble devratt, sl}

el le le

souhattart, _{adhérer â ra conventron iprcs avorr accêcté}

â

l'lndêpendance, _{tandls que les demanaLs d,adhêslon d,HaItl et}

de

la RêpuOl tque domlnlcalne recevratent _{une rêponse globale de la} part de la Communautê _{compte tenu êgalèment de la posttlon}

des

Etats ACp. Un Etat membre (ESp) _{coistdère, tout en appuyant ta}

lutte pour r rndêpendance _du peupre _{de ta Namrbrc, QUC ra} Communautê _{devralt assumer une posltlon plus}

souple au suJet dê

l'adhêsron, af _{rn QU'rr y att un parar rêr rsme avêc res Gtemandes} cl'HaIt _{I et de la RêpuUl lque domlntealne.}

b) Peut-on amêl lorer le _{régf me gênêrat des échanges, établ I par}

la convent _{ron actuer re, pàr re oiars ae certatns-àlnenagements} ou

pas? cer _{re-cr êtart ra questron que tes mrntstres se sont posês.}

Certalns pays (ESp, _{l) y donnent une rêponse négatlve,}

consldérant qu, | ! 9st _{tmposslble d,oetroyer de nouvel les}

concesslons commerèlales. _{Un front nordleuê, par eàntre, (UK,}

DE, NL) sult la Cornmlsslon _{et n,exclut pas que des aménagements}

du _{réglme des échanges pulssent être envlsagês ultêrleurement} en fonctlon de t,évolutlon de la nêgoctatlon, êtant entenctu que la marge _{de nêgoclat lon est obJect lvement êtrol te.}

c) Sur !e STABEX _{enftn tes poslttons sont partagêes.} Le compromts _{dtscutê prêvoyalt la dlsponlbt I lté de ta}

Communautê à

amér rorer et renforcer te système. _{r r cherchalt ensurte}

â

accentuer !a portêe structurerre cru srABEx _en dcmandant, _entre

autre, des obr rgatrons mutuer res â convenrr _{entre rEtat}

bênêfrcrarre et ra commrssron _{et une cohêrence cntre}

l'utt I tsatlon _{des transferts STABEX et tes pol ltlques} de

dlverslfreatron et de restructuratron _{économrque des pays} bênêflclalres. _{Certatnes dêlêgatlons if, t) trouvent} contradrctorre _{de prôner, d'uné part, unr amêr roratron}

du système

et d'augmenter, _{d'autre part, tes condrtrons requrses pour}

res

i3

Â

z

transferts STABEX. _{euant â la Conmtstlon, lG Vlce_prêsldent}

NATALI _{a atttrê l'attentlon des Mlnlstres sur le falt quc la}

proposltlon de ta commlsslon êtatt êqul I lbrêc af ln qua les

eontralntes supplêmentalres lmposêes aux Acp solcnt balancêes par des avantages nouveaux (abandon _{du prlnclpe dc reconstltutlonl.} FIN DIS

Autres polnts !

En ce qul concerne les rêglements d,appl lcatlon dcs Fonds

structurels, le consell a prls des déclslons de procêdure _QUlr

sulvant le souhalt de la comnlsslon, _{rràlntlcnnent l,unltê du}

"paquet" proposê, lors de son examen par lcs _{lnstanccs du}

Conscl l.

Le Consel I a dêclclê quc l'ordrc de rotltlon â la Cour dc Justlcc pour les prochalns _{tours du trelzlêmc Jugc solt le sulvant}

:

Espagne, ttartc, Royaumc-unt. Lc cutui jugc

""prgnài dcvrart êtrc M. Manlel Dlez de Vclasco Val lêJo.

Amltlês,