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ISSN 0378-3693 Bulletin of the European Communities Commission No 12 1989 Volume 22 The Bulletin of the European Communities reports on the activities of the Commission and the other Community institutions. lt is edited by the Secretariat-General of the Commission (rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels) and published 11 times a year (one issue covers July and August) in the official Community languages. The following reference system is used: the first digit indicates the part number, the second digit the chapter number and the subsequent digit or digits the point number. Citations should therefore read as follows: Bull. EC 1-1987, point 1.1.3 or 2.2.36. Supplements to the Bulletin are published in a separate series at irregular intervals. They contain official Commission material (e.g. communications to the Council, programmes, reports and pro- posals). • Notice to readers The next issue of the Bulletin, reporting on activities in January and February 1990, will be numbered 1 /2-1990. The presentation will be altered in an attempt to make it easier to consult. The intention is to enhance the Bulletin's value as a work of reference and publish it considerably quicker in all the official languages. © ECSC- EEC- EAEC, Brussels • Luxembourg, 1989 Reproduction is authorized provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Belgium Bulletin of the European Communities Commission ECSC- EEC- EAEC Commission of the European Communities Secretariat -General Brussels No 12 1989 Volume22 Sent to press in January 1990 Bulletin information service Readers can obtain information on developments since this issue went to press (date of adoption of instruments by the Council, of opinions given by Parliament or the Economic and Social Committee, of publication in the Official Journal, etc.) by telephoning the document services of the Information Offices at the following numbers: London 222 8122 Belfast 240708 Cardiff 371631 Edinburgh 225 2058 Dublin 712244 References in text and footnotes References to other parts of the same issue of the Bulletin are given in parentheses in text, thus (-+ point 2.1.53). References to other issues of the Bulletin, to a Bulletin Supplement, to an Official Journal etc. are given in footnotes. Standardized abbreviations for the designation of certam monetary units in the different languages of the Community: ECU European currency un1t BFR Belg1sche frank I Franc beige OKR Oansk krone OM Oeutsche Mark OR Greek drachma ESC Escudo FF Franc fran~a1s HFL Nederlandse gulden (Hollandse flonJn) IRL lnsh pound I punt LFR Franc luxembourgeo1s LIT L1ra 1tal1ana PTA Peseta UKL Pound sterling USO United States dollar j contents Notice to readers SPECIAL PART ONE FEATURES 1. European Council 8 2. Signing of the ACP-EEC Convention 18 3. News in brief 20 ACTIVITIES PART TWO IN DECEMBER 198~ 1. Building the Community 24 - Economic and monetary policy 24 - Internal market 24 - Customs union 30 -Taxation 32 - Enterprise 33 - Industrial strategy and services 34 - Research and technology 35 - Telecommunications, information technology and innovation 38 - Competition 41 - Employment and social policy 49 - Human resources, education, training and youth 53 - Information, communication and culture 55 - Regional policies 55 - Coordination of structural policies 59 - Environment 59 -Consumers 61 - Agriculture 62 - Fisheries 73 -Transport 78 -Energy 80 2. External relations 82 - Commercial policy 82 - Industrialized countries 83 - Mediterranean, Gulf and Arabian Peninsula countries 88 -Asia 90 - Latin America 91 - African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and overseas countries and territories (OCTs) 91 - General development cooperation 93 - International organizations and conferences 97 - Diplomatic relations 98 3. Intergovernmental cooperation 98 - European political cooperation (EPC) 98 - Other intergovernmental cooperation 99 4. Human rights and fundamental freedoms 100 5. Financing Community activities 102 - Budgets 102 - Financial operations 104 6. Statistics 105 7. Community institutions 106 -~~~n~~~ru 100 - Council 108 - Commission 112 - Community lawcourts 114 - Economic and Social Committee 127 - ECSC Consultative Committee 128 - European Investment Bank 129 PART T RE DOCUMENTATION 1. The ecu 132 2. France's term as President of the Council 134 3. Infringement procedures 140 4. Additional references in the Official Journal 142 5. The Bulletin in 1989: special features, supplements and documentation 144 6. Index 145 Supplements 1989 1/89 Statement on the broad lines of Commission policy and reply to the ensuing Parliamentary debate 2/89 Programme of the Commission for 1989 3/89 Takeover and other general bids 4/89 Medium-term Community action programme to foster the economic and social integration of the least privileged groups 5/89 Statute for a European Company Supplements 1990 1/90 Programme of the Commission for 1990 PART NE SPECIAL FEATURES 1. European Council Strasbourg, 8 and 9 December assoctatton with the countries which are pursuing the path of economic and political 1.1.1. The meeting began in the morning reform. The Council also approved a major of 8 December at the Palais des Congres declaration on this topic under the heading in Strasbourg under the chairmanship of of European political cooperation. President Mitterrand. It was attended by all the Heads of State or Government of the Member States, their Foreign Ministers and Commission President Delors and Vice Conclusions of the Presidency President Andriessen. The proceedings were concluded at the end of the morning of 9 December. Towards European union At the beginning of the meeting the Euro 1.1.2. The European Council is conscious of the pean Council heard a statement by Euro responsibilities weighing on the Community in this pean Parliament President Baron Crespo in crucial period for Europe. The current changes which he set out Parliament's position and and the prospects for development in Europe dem onstrate the attraction which the political and priorities with regard to the main Com economic model of Community Europe holds for munity issues. many countries. As Mr Delors said to the European Parlia The Community must live up to this expectation ment a few days later ( ~ point 2. 7.1), the and these demands: its path lies not in withdrawal meeting was exceptionally positive, with the but in openness and cooperation, particularly with Member States concerned to achieve closer the other European States. unity and make the Community the focal It is in the interest of all European States that the point for a changing Europe. Community should become stronger and acceler ate its progress towards European union. For example, on the subject of economic and monetary union (EMU) the European The European Council adopted the following con Council noted, on the basis of an examin clusions to this end: ation of the work carried out since the meet ing in Madrid, 1 that the necessary majority Making the Single Act a reality existed for convening an intergovernmental conference before the end of 1990 to prepare 1.1.3. The Community is determined to carry out an amendment of the Treaty with a view to all the commitments contained in the Single Act the final stages of EMU. in order to continue and extend the process of integration with a view to European union. This Turning to the social dimension, the Heads presupposes that the Community must finish off, of State or Government of 11 Member within the time-limits laid down, the completion States adopted the Community Charter of of the single market and that it should apply itself, at the same time, to giving concrete form to large the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers, scale projects which will signify a new stage in its and the European Council took note of the development. fact that the Commission had drawn up an action programme on the application of the Charter. 2 An area without internal frontiers Following on from its informal meeting in 1.1.4. The internal market is beginning to assume Paris, 3 the European Council also its final shape, and its positive effects are being reaffirmed the Community's desire to felt in all sectors of economic life. In general, encourage the necessary economic reforms in Central and Eastern Europe by all the I Bull. EC 6-1989, point 1.1.11. means at its disposal, and to continue its Bull. EC 11-1989, point 2.1.80. examination of the appropriate forms of Bull. EC 11-1989, points 2.2.15 to 2.2.17. 8 Bull. EC 12-1989 Strasbourg European Council the timetable which was set is being adhered to. accompaniment to the liberalization of capital Important decisions have been taken during this movements, to take measures to combat tax six-month period: in the area of financial services, evasion effectively, in accordance with earlier decisions have been taken on the coordination of decisions. 6 legislation enabling banks to offer their services throughout the Community (-+ point 2.1.5), the With regard to indirect taxation, it notes with prohibition of insider dealing 1 and the coordi satisfaction the progress made during the last few nation of motor vehicle insurance (-+ point months with the formulation of a transitional sys 2.1.16). The European Council hopes that this set tem which will lighten the burden on undertakings and administrations and enable border checks to of decisions will be swiftly supplemented by the 7 adoption of directives, on the basis of Commission be eliminated (-+ point 2.1.45). proposals, on investment services, 2 regulations on It considers that these arrangements need to be the solvency ratio (-+ point 2.1.14), takeover supplemented by the elements which will be essen bids, 3 company law, in particular the European tial in particular to enable the progressive approxi 4 Company Statute, and the three tax proposals mation of VAT rates and to resolve the problems concerning cooperation between companies. 5 connected with the removal, on 1 January 1993, Significant progress has also been made in the of limits on purchases by private individuals for Council (Internal Market) on other major topics their personal consumption when travelling within such as the control of company concentrations, on the Community.