ABSTRACT
The decisions on a Common Fisheries Policy which M. Duhamel and Mr. Lardinois had between them forced through the Council of Ministers of Agriculture on 30 June, 1970, were outline decisions only. Unfortunately, the worst feature of them was the clearest: access 'up to the beaches'. 1 Most of the rest remained to be filled in. At a further meeting of the Agricultural Council of Ministers on 19 and 20 October the main marketing and structures regulations for fisheries, including those on access to national waters, were settled and it was agreed that they should come into force on 1 February, 1971. At this meeting, our Delegation reported from Brussels, 'no reference was made to the documents put in by applicant countries'. The Council set itself a time-limit of 31 December for agreeing the various implementing regulations; and the Commission was to press ahead with their preparation. These were in fact agreed without difficulty by the six Ministers of Agriculture at a further Council meeting in the last week of January 1971, and entered into force likewise on 1 February, 1971.
