EU Foreign Affairs Council

Michael Fallon Excerpts

Tuesday 6th May 2014 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Michael Fallon)]

My noble Friend the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Lord Livingston, has today made the following statement:

The EU Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) will take place in Brussels on 8 May 2014. Lord Livingston will represent the UK on all the issues on the agenda.

The substantive items on 8 May will be:

Negotiations on an EU-Canada comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA)—the European Commission will update Trade Ministers following political agreement on this FTA last year.

Negotiations on an EU-Japan economic partnership agreement—the European Commission will report on the fifth round of negotiations; report on the EU-Japan summit of 7 May; and present their review of progress after one year of negotiations.

Doha development agenda (DDA) including the green goods initiative—the European Commission will circulate a non-paper on the post-Bali DDA work programme, and Council conclusions and negotiating directives for the green goods initiative will be put to Trade Ministers for their consideration.

Economic partnership agreements (EPAs)—the European Commission will report on progress on negotiations with western, eastern and southern Africa.

Transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP)—the European Commission will report on the fourth round of the TTIP negotiations and Trade Ministers will discuss the upcoming fifth round.