Vol. 472 No. 1
39 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Tourism and Trade the decisions, if any, which were reached at the meeting of the EU Internal Market Council on 25 October 1996; and the benefits, if any, which will accrue to Ireland as a result. [21972/96]
The principal decisions relating to the Internal Market taken by the Council of 25 October, which the Minister chaired, were: approval of a directive on the protection of occupants of motor vehicles in the event of a frontal impact; adoption of a Council resolution on the simplification and rationalisation of the Community's customs regulations and procedures; and a decision authorising the Commission to negotiate, on behalf of the EU, an agreement concerning customs co-operation with Norway. The Council approved without discussion a large number of other decisions, some relating to the work of other councils.
In addition, the Council noted the Commission's intention to launch the "Citizens First" information campaign on 26 November which is designed to inform EU citizens of the rights and opportunities created for them by the Single Market. The Council also noted the progress made by the Commission in relation to SLIM (Simpler Legislation for the Internal Market) initiative and on its major study on the impact of the effectiveness of the Single Market, and welcomed the Commission's statement that its communications on both these issues would be ready for discussion at the Internal Market Council on 26 November.
During the meeting, the Ministers met their counterparts of the ten Central and Eastern European countries as part of a structured dialogue process to assist those countries to prepare for integration with the EU's Single Market.
All the decisions taken at the Council will, in their own way, contribute to the consolidation and development of the Single Market which is so important to our exporters. The directive to improve the standards of cars to protect passengers in the event of frontal impact crashes should reduce the number of road deaths and injuries arising from such accidents.
Will the Minister agree that progress in the area of customs simplification in the EU is painfully slow? Is the Minister satisfied that progress is being made on the objectives for Ireland's Presidency of the EU?
There is no doubt that we are progressing. It is recognised across Europe that Ireland is carrying out the Presidency in a most efficient way.
