HC Deb 14 July 1993 vol 228 cc968-70
4. Mr. Garnier

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards enlarging the EC.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. David Heathcoat-Amory)

Accession negotiations are in train with Austria, Finland Sweden and Norway. The June European Council set a target date of 1 January 1995 for their accession. It also agreed that the six associate countries of eastern Europe should become members as soon as they could assume the responsibilities of membership. On 30 June, the Commission's opinions on the applications for membership of Malta and Cyprus were issued. We welcome those developments.

Mr. Garnier

While I welcome the proposals for the accession of, in particular, the European Free Trade Association countries, because they will be net contributors, will my hon. Friend keep a firm hold on the present: first, by ensuring that the deliberations of EC Ministers are dealt with more effectively by their meetings beginning on time; secondly, by ensuring that there is a complete absence of pettifogging and nitpicking regulations emanating from Europe; thirdly, by ensuring that article 3(b) is brought into effect as soon as possible; and, fourthly, will he do his best to ensure that the social chapter is kept well offshore?

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

I can give my hon. Friend those assurances. We, too, want article 3(b) of the treaty brought into effect as soon as possible, but that requires ratification first. I know that my hon. Friend will play his part in that. I believe that the accession of the additional EFTA states will help us, as they, too, believe in a decentralised, open-trading Community with strong budget discipline. That will help us to resist those who want an enclosed, protectionist, centralised, socialist Europe.

Mr. Charles Kennedy

Despite the schedule of events that the Minister sketched in his opening reply and the fact that, for example, Finland acknowledges the diplomatic role that Britain is playing within the Community to assist it in its progress towards membership, will the Minister none the less acknowledge that there are fears among various parties in various countries within the existing Community that the British Government—not least because of reports about the Foreign Office preparation for the next set of intergovernmental conferences, if we can look that far forward—see the enlargement process as a means of putting the brakes, along the lines that the hon. Member for Harborough (Mr. Gamier) was hinting at, on the process of further European integration? Will he allay fears on that matter?

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

The Government welcome the accession negotiations, which are well under way and going well. We were in the lead in inviting other member states to set a target date for the accession of the additional states. We want to strengthen Europe by enlarging it.

Mr. Channon

Will my hon. Friend say a word more about the accession of the associate states that were part of the old Soviet Union? What does he think is now the likely timetable for them?

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

We believe that Europe should be open to any application from a European state that is democratic and willing to take on the responsibilities of membership. That includes the states of eastern and central Europe. I have to be candid in saying that their membership must be some years away, but the Copenhagen summit was clear in welcoming their eventual accession.

Mr. Hoon

Assuming that enlargement is completed successfully, what consequential changes in the decision-making processes of the European Community does the Minister expect will be necessary? In particular, does he expect that more majority voting in the Council of Ministers will be required?

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

No, that does not necessarily follow, although it is true that the accession of four additional states will cause us to look again at some of the institutional mechanisms. The number of votes that each of the accession states has remains to be negotiated.