asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline details of the achievements during the Irish Presidency of the EEC.
Written Answers. - Irish Presidency of EEC.
352.
While the Irish Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Community and of Political Co-operation continues until the end of this month I believe that we can be seen to have discharged efficiently the tasks entrusted to us and to have succeeded in overcoming serious obstacles to the conclusion of Community work in areas of major importance. The Presidency has sought to ensure that the Community were united and consistent in their efforts to tackle the major problems facing them. I know that the Deputy appreciates that many matters are still being pursued in the normal course of Community activity. I can tell him that areas where progress can be reported to date in both Community and Political Co-operation frameworks are as follows:
(1) European Council
A meeting of the European Council was held in Dublin on 29-30 November and the Taoiseach reported to the Dáil on 4 December on the outcome of this meeting.
(2) Inauguration of Directly Elected Parliament
The concern of the Presidency was to establish and maintain good relations with the Parliament and this has been successfully done so far. On the suggestion of their President, the Council (Foreign Affairs) agreed to study the operation of existing procedures governing the relationship between the Council and the European Parliament and to examine whether any improvements to these procedures could be introduced. Work is currently proceeding on this matter.
(3) Lomé Convention
One of the major accomplishments of the Irish Presidency has been the final negotiations and signature of the second Lomé Convention in Lomé, Togo, on 31 October 1979.
(4) Multilateral Trade Negotiations (MTN)
The Irish Presidency was happy to play its part in preparing the conditions for and in presiding over the approval by the Community of a package of measures which, it is generally acknowledged, will play a major part in shaping international trading relations in the nineteen-eighties.
(5) Enlargement
The Presidency has succeeded in maintaining a satisfactory rhythm of work in the negotiations for the accession of Spain and Portugal. A further negotiating session at ministerial level is foreseen for 18 December. The Bill for the ratification by Ireland of the Instruments of Accession of the Hellenic Republic to the European Communities was recently passed by both Dáil and Seanad. This will enable Ireland to be among the first of the member states to complete the ratification process.
(6) Portugal
The Community concluded a supplementary Protocol with Portugal revising the terms of the 1972 Trade Agreement between the two parties.
(7) Relations with Mediterranean Countries
Relations with Yugoslavia, Turkey and Cyprus have been developed satisfactorily during the Irish Presidency.
(8) Community-ASEAN Relations
Negotiations between the Community and the ASEAN countries on a co-operation agreement have been concluded.
(9) Vietnamese Refugee Problem
At the UN meeting in Geneva in July on the Indochinese refugee problem, which came about partly as a result of an initiative by the Nine, Ireland, as Presidency, undertook close coordination of the positions of the Nine. The Community and the member states have since implemented programmes to relieve the refugee problem through financial aid to the UN High Commission for refugees and acceptance of substantial numbers of refugees for resettlement.
(10) Aid to Cambodia
The Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs on 29 October agreed on measures amounting to $35 million in emergency aid to Cambodia. The impetus for this decision came from the informal discussion at Ashford Castle.
(11) Energy
Energy has been one of the major preoccupations of the Irish Presidency. The principal task of the Presidency has been to steer the implementation of the Tokyo Summit conclusions, particularly those related to the adoption of national oil import targets for 1985.
(12) Resarch and Development
The first Research and Development Council in four years was convened by the Irish Presidency and agreement was reached on programmes for recycling urban and industrial waste and the management and storage of radioactive waste.
(13) Environment
Two major conventions on the Environment have been concluded and signed during Ireland's Presidency—
(1) the Convention on the Conservation of Wild Life and National Habitats.
(2) The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution.
(14) Unemployment
The Community took a significant step in the fight to reduce unemployment in the Community by agreeing a resolution on the reorganisation of working time.
(15) Agriculture
(a) On the question of establishing a balance in the market for wine the Council have been examining a wide range of measures and agreement in principle has been achieved in a number of key areas.
(b) Areas of disagreement have been narrowed on the Commission proposal for a common organisation of the market in sheepmeat and the Presidency is hopeful of further advances at the December Council.
(c) Progress has also been made in protracted discussion on a common organisation of the market for potatoes and the Presidency hopes to achieve agreement at least on broad principles before the end of the year.
(16) Fisheries
On the initiative of the Presidency a high level working group were set up to try to find agreement on total allowable catches and quotas. Good progress is being made in this matter.
(17) Removal of Technical Barriers to Trade
Agreement was reached in October 1979 on a proposal for an amending directive which specifies the volumes which must be observed in the packaging of a wide range of beverages.