HC Deb 23 January 1985 vol 71 cc977-8
36. Mr. Pike

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with progress on the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Economic Community.

Mr. Rifkind

The Community and the applicant states are now in the final stages of the accession negotiations, after the agreement on Community negotiating positions on fisheries and wine. Agreement was also reached in December on arrangements for the dismantling of Spain's highly protective industrial tariff regime. We are working for completion of the negotiations as soon as possible so that Spain and Portugal may accede on 1 January 1986.

Mr. Pike

Is the Minister aware of the views of the new President of the Foreign Affairs Council, who indicated that he hoped for the early accession of Spain and Portugal in order to increase the own resources element as soon as possible and also to aid the Community's problems during the coming year? How realistic does the Minister think these views are, and what prospect is there of achieving that aim?

Mr. Rifkind

As I said, there has been considerable progress in the past few weeks and it is still perfectly possible to keep to the political commitment to allow the negotiations to be concluded at a time that will enable the ratification procedures by each of the member states to be concluded, thereby permitting Spain and Portugal to enter the Community on the date proposed.

Mr. Jim Spicer

My hon. Friend made no mention of the problems of the Spanish fishing fleet,. In view of the size of that fleet that seems to be a major obstacle that has still to be overcome. Will he say a word about that?

Mr. Rifkind

My hon. Friend is correct. That is one of the remaining outstanding issues. The Community has adopted a position that is in accordance with the enormous importance that we attach to the fisheries question. It will prove a complicated question, but the Spanish Government are realistic enough to realise that the Community, having acquired a common fisheries policy only after many years of difficult negotiation, would not be able to consider any significant change to it that weakened the protection that is afforded to existing fishermen within the Community.