There are safety issues and one should at least be thinking about them. We would like to know if they are being addressed.
COM (2006) 677 is a proposed regulation concerning direct support schemes for farmers, and requires the sugar industry to take into account the accession of Bulgaria and Romania. It amends three existing regulations relating to direct payments and the sugar regime to allow their implementation in Bulgaria and Romania subsequent to accession. Members will recall similar proposals on foot of which technical amendments are required to take account of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania. The Department has indicated that there are no implications for Ireland. This proposal was adopted at a meeting of the Council on 20 November 2006, little more than a month after its transmission, in order that it could be concluded prior to accession on 1 January 2007. It is proposed to note this adopted measure. Is that agreed? Agreed.
COM (2006) 703 is a proposed regulation fixing for 2007 the guide prices and Community producer prices for certain fishery products. This proposal provides that a guide price and a Community producer price be fixed each year to determine price levels for intervention in the market for certain fisheries products. The guide price sets a minimum selling price for fishery products and facilitates the establishment of a system of market-supported payments to fishermen in respect of products that do not reach the minimum selling price. Such products are put into storage until market conditions improve. It is proposed to note the adopted measure. Is that agreed? Agreed.
COM 731 is a proposal for Council decision on the granting of the special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance beyond 1 January 2007 to the Republic of El Salvador. This proposal by the Commission is intended to extend the period of benefitting from a special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance beyond 1 January 2007 until the end of 2008 to the Republic of El Salvador. When submitting its request for tariff preference, El Salvador referred to incompatibility with its constitution of two INO conventions. It committed, however, to sign and ratify those two conventions before the end of 2006. El Salvador ratified the said conventions in August 2006, thus fulfilling conditions imposed in the regulation. Accordingly, this measure proposes a Council decision to allow the continued granting of the special incentive up to the end of 2008. The Department confirms that this is a purely technical proposal which has no negative implications for Ireland. It was adopted on 19 December 2006.
COM 739 is a proposal for an amending directive with regards to the period of application on the value added tax arrangements applicable to radio and television broadcasting services and certain electronically supplied services. It is proposed to note this adoptive measure. Is that agreed? Agreed.
COM (2006) 644 is a proposal for a Council decision on a Community position concerning the decision by the WTO General Council to apply provisionally the transparency mechanism for regional trade agreements. It is proposed that this does not warrant further scrutiny but that it be forwarded to the Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business for information. Is that agreed? Agreed.
COM (2006) 750 is a proposal for an amending regulation temporarily suspending the autonomous common customs tariff duties on certain industrial, agricultural and fishery products. It is proposed to note this and send it to the Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business. Is that agreed? Agreed.
COM (2006) 771 is a proposal for an amending regulation opening and providing for the administration of autonomous Community tariff quotas for certain agricultural and industrial products. It is proposed that this measure does not warrant further scrutiny. It is also proposed that the proposed measure be forwarded for information to the Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business. Is that agreed? Agreed.
We have six early warning notes, items 8.1 to 8.6. Item 8.1 is EWN 2006/C320/06, a notice of the initiation of a re-investigation of anti-dumping measures in place in relation to polyester fibres imported from the People's Republic of China. It is proposed that the proposal does not currently warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed. Item 8.2 is EWN 1999/2006, a provisional application of a duty on certain bicycle saddles imported from the People's Republic of China. Is that agreed? Agreed. Item 8.3 is EWN 2006/C316/06, a notice of the initiation of an expiry review of anti-dumping measures in place in relation to urea originating in Belarus, Croatia, Libya and Ukraine. It is proposed that the proposal does not currently warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed.
Item 8.4 is EWN 2006/ C311/13, a notice of the initiation of a partial review of anti-dumping measures in place in relation to ammonium nitrate originating in Russia. It is proposed that the proposal does not currently warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed. Item 8.5 is EWN 1888/2006, a provisional application of anti-dumping measures in relation to sweet-corn kernels originating in Thailand. It is proposed that the proposal does not currently warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed. Item 8.6 is EWN 2006/C311/14, notice of the initiation of a partial review of anti-dumping measures in place in relation to ammonium nitrate originating in Ukraine. It is proposed that the proposal does not currently warrant further scrutiny. Is that agreed? Agreed.
Minutes of the meeting of 14 December 2006 have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed. The draft 75th and 76th reports of the subcommittee have also been circulated. I propose that both reports be forwarded to the Joint Committee on European Affairs for agreement to lay before both Houses along with appendices. Is that agreed? Agreed.
The following items of correspondence have been received by the sub-committee: letters from Mr. Prionsias De Rossa, MEP, Mr. Brian Crowley, MEP, Mr. Gay Mitchell, MEP, and Mr. Liam Aylward, MEP, in response to a letter from the sub-committee. It is proposed to note this correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. There is also a letter from Department of Communication, Marine and Natural Resources outlining the Department's response on the principle of subsidiarity. It is proposed to note that letter. Is that agreed? Agreed.
I propose that the next meeting of the sub-committee will take place at 9.30 a.m. on Thursday, 8 February 2007. Is that agreed? Agreed.
I thank members for their co-operation in dealing with this hefty agenda. I wish everyone a happy and successful new year.