A
REGULATION. THIS GROUP WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS CONCERNED WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGULATION, INCLUDING THE
MODIFICATION FOR TECHNICAL REASONS OF THE CONTENTS OF THE ANNEX.
QUESTIONS OF THE MODIFICATION OF THIS REGULATION WOULD BE DISCUSSED
IN THE COUNCIL MACHINERY.
10. SCHEER ASKED. WHETHER THE NEW REGIME WOULD APPLY TO MEAT AND
LIVE ANIMALS, WHICH WERE NOT COVERED BY REGULATION 1388/86. BESELER
SAID THAT IT WOULD. THE COMMISSION SAW NO CASE FOR MAINTAINING THE
EXISTENCE OF THE TWO EXISTING REGIMES ONCE THE NEW REGULATION WAS ADOPTED.
DURATION.
11. IN AN INITIAL TOUR DE TABLE LARSEN ARGUED THAT THE REGULATION
SHOULD RUN TO 31 JULY 1986, UNGERER THAT IT RUN TO THE END OF THE
YEAR, AND THE NETHERLANDS THAT IT BE REVIEWED ON 30 SEPTEMBER. BYRNE
(IRELAND) AND I RESERVED OUR POSITIONS UNTIL THE DISCUSSION ON
LEVELS TOOK PLACE.
LEVELS.
12. IN AN INITIAL TOUR DE TABLE ALL DELEGATIONS SUPPORTED THE
COMMISSION PROPOSAL EXCEPT THE FOLLOWING:
(A) LUXEMBOURG WANTED 375 BQ/KG FOR GENERAL PRODUCTS AND 100 BQ/KG
FOR MILK:
(B) BELGIUM WANTED 300 BQ/KG FOR GENERAL FOODS AND 50 BQ/KG FOR
MILK:
(C) IRELAND AND GERMANY WANTED 500 BQ/KG FOR ALL PRODUCTS:
(D) GREECE WANTED 1,000 BQ/KG FOR GENERAL FOODS AND 500 BQ/KG FOR
MILK:
(E) FRANCE AND UK WANTED 1,000 BQ/KG FOR ALL PRODUCTS.
13. IT THEN EMERGED THAT THE ARTICLE 31 EXPERTS MEETING IN
LUXEMBOURG ON 23 MAY HAD CONCLUDED THAT THERE WERE NO SCIENTIFIC
GROUNDS FOR A LEVEL MORE STRINGENT THAN 1,000 BQ/KG FOR ALL PRODUCTS. AS I OBSERVED, THIS SOMEWHAT REMOVED THE GROUND FROM UNDER
THE FEET OF THOSE ARGUING FOR THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL OR ANYTHING
MORE STRINGENT. CALAMIA (ITALY) STRUGGLED DESPERATELY BUT
UNPERSUASIVELY TO ARGUE THAT THE EXPERTS HAD NOT TAKEN ALL RELEVANT
CONSIDERATIONS INTO ACCOUNT. BESELER SAID THAT THE COMMISSION
PROPOSAL TOOK FACTORS INTO ACCOUNT WHICH WERE OUTSIDE THE EXPERTS'
REMIT SUCH AS THE POSSIBLE EFFECT ON COMMUNITY EXPORTS OF SETTING
TOO HIGH A LEVEL. I OBSERVED THAT SUCH A POSITION DID NOT FIT WELL
WITH THE COMMISSION'S EARLIER CLAIMS THAT THE LEVEL SHOULD BE SET ON
PURELY SCIENTIFIC GROUNDS.
3
CONFIDENTIAL
/LATER