The IGC met at Foreign Minister level in Luxembourg on Monday, 14 June 2004. The meeting was to prepare final negotiations ahead of the Summit of Heads of State or Government level in Brussels on 17/18 June.
The Foreign Ministers had met on 17-18 May and again on 24 May to identify areas of consensus. Read the related EPHA article.
The Irish Presidency commented:
"This morning we had a very productive meeting. Most of our discussion was focused on document CIG 80/04, which was circulated to delegations on Saturday, and which covers the outstanding non-institutional questions. Many of these relate to the voting procedure- QMV or unanimity. Other issues include the Common Commercial Policy, the Preamble, the Charter, and questions related to economic governance. We made particularly good headway in a number of areas, including the balance between unanimity and QMV, the Multi-Annual Financial Framework, and the Common Commercial Policy.
"We were also able to confirm broad agreement on the texts which were circulated in document CIG 79/04, some of the more technical issues we have been looking at. We are therefore well-positioned to have a short, focused agenda when the Heads of State or Government meet on Thursday June 17 2004. We will bring forward amended papers ahead of that meeting, including on the sensitive institutional questions."
Changes to the text are highlighted in bold.
Common Commercial Policy (Annex 12, p. 18)
4. For the conclusion of the agreements referred to in paragraph 3, the Council shall act by qualified majority.
For the conclusion of agreements in the fields of trade in services (involving the movement of persons - this phrase has been deleted) and the commercial aspects of intellectual property, as well as foreign direct investment, the Council shall act unanimously where such agreements include provisions for which unanimity is required for the adoption of internal rules.
The Council shall also act unanimously for the conclusion of agreements:
(a) in the field of trade in cultural and audiovisual services, where these risk prejudicing the Union’s cultural and linguistic diversity;
(b) in the field of trade in social, education and health services, where these risk seriously disturbing the national organisation of such services and prejudicing the responsibility of Member States to deliver them.
