The Governments of the Member States and the European Commission were represented as follows: Belgium: Mr Luc CARBONEZ Deputy Permanent Representative Denmark: Mr Niels Henrik SLIBEN Deputy Permanent Representative Germany: M. Jochen GRÜNHAGE Deputy Permanent Representative Greece: M. Michail CHRYSOCHOIDIS State Secretary for Trade Spain: M. José Luis TEMES State Secretary for Health France: Mr Edmond ALPHANDERY Minister for Economic Affairs Ireland: Mr Pat RABBITTE Minister of State for Commerce Italy: M. Luigi MASTROBUONO State Secre
tary Luxembourg: Ms Marie-Josée JACOBS Minister for the Family Netherlands: Ms Anneke van DOK van WEELE
...[+++]State Secretary for Economic Affairs Austria: Ms Christa KRAMMER Federal Minister for Consumer Protection Portugal: Mr Joaquim POÇAS MARTINS State Secretary for the Environment and Consumer Policy Finland: Mr Bo Göran ERIKSSON Director-General Sweden: Ms Marita ULVSKOG Minister for the Civil Service Ms Ann-Christin NYKVIST Deputy State Secretary United Kingdom: The Earl FERRERS Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Minister for Consumer Affairs and Small Firms) Commission: Ms Emma BONINO Member Mr Mario MONTI Member DISTANCE CONTRACTS The Council agreed on its common position concerning a Directive approximating the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning distance contracts between consumers and suppliers, the aim being to raise the level of consumer protection in this area.