GRS 700
CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKREP BRUSSELS
Confidential
TO DESKBY 2813OOZ F CO
TELNO 1800
OF 2812OOZ MAY 86
INFO ROUTINE COPENHAGEN
...ACC 166/
RECEIVED :D!
29 MAY 1936
THE HAGUE, ROME, DUBLIN, PARIS, BONN
INFO ROUTINE MADRID, LISBON LUXEMBOURG, ATHENS, UKMIS VIENNA
INFO ROUTINE EASTERN EUROPEAN POSTS
INFO SAVING BRUSSELS
FRAME GENERAL
COREPER (AMBASSADORS), 28 MAY : CHERNOBYL : E.C FOOD BAN.
SUMMARY
1. U.K HINTS AT POSSIBLE FLEXIBILITY ON LEVELS BUT FRANCE
HOLDS FIRM AND IS JOINED BY GREECE IN PRESSING FOR 1,000 BQ/KG. PRESIDENCY ANNOUNCES THAT FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL WILL THEREFORE MEET AT 3 P.M ON 29 MAY, ALTHOUGH AT FRENCH REQUEST, THE FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL AFTER FURTHER COREPER
DISCUSSION TOMORROW.
DETAIL
2. THERE WERE A FEW FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE TEXT. LARSEN
(DENMARK) SAID HE EXPECTED TO BE ABLE TO DROP THE UNILATERAL DANISH DECLARATION FOR THE MINUTES, AND WOULD LET THE PRESIDENCY KNOW THEIR
FINAL DECISION LATER TODAY. BENDER (U.K) LIFTED OUR SCRUTINY
RESERVE ON THE TEXT AND ASKED THAT THERE BE ADDED TO THE SECOND
DECLARATION FOR THE MINUTES A COMMITMENT THAT MEMBER STATES WOULD
APPLY NO MORE STRINGENT STANDARDS TO INTRA-COMMUNITY TRADE THAN THEY
APPLIED TO DOMESTIC PRODUCTION. THIS WAS AGREED. THE COMMISSION CIRCULATED A TEXT ON THE USE OF MILK EQUIVALENT FOR DEHYDRATED BABY
FOODS AND AGREED TO CONSULT FURTHER WITH THE U.K ON GETTING THIS
RIGHT.
3. ON LEVELS, WE HAD DISCUSSED THE POSITION BEFOREHAND WITH SCHEER (FRANCE). HE SAID THAT HIS INSTRUCTIONS WOULD PERMIT NO MOVEMENT THIS MORNING. WE SAID THAT OURS WOULD PERMIT US TO ACCEPT
THE PRESIDENCY COMPROMISE, BUT THAT WE WOULD PREFER HIGHER FIGURES
IF THEY COULD BE ACHIEVED. SCHEER SAID THAT THIS WAS UNLIKELY, AND
THAT HE WOULD NOT FEEL UPSET IF WE INDICATED OUR FLEXIBILITY.
4. THE PRESIDENCY OPENED THE DISCUSSION ON LEVELS IN COREPER BY TURNING TO THE U.K DELEGATION. BENDER EMPHASISED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ARTICLE 31 EXPERTS' REPORT (WHICH WE WISHED TO BE CIRCULATED) AND THE NEED TO TREAT SCIENTIFIC ADVICE WITH APPROPRIATE RESPECT. WE WERE, HOWEVER, ALSO CONSCIOUS OF THE DANGERS OF THE PRESENT SITUATION FOR THE INTERNAL MARKET AND THE COMMUNITY'S REPUTATION. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE MIGHT BE PREPARED TO SHOW SOME FLEXIBILITY IF THIS WERE NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE A CONSENSUS. ASKED POINT BLANK IF THIS MEANT WE COULD MOVE TO THE PRESIDENCY COMPROMISE IF ALL OTHERS DID, HE CONFIRMED THAT WE COULD.
Confidential
15.