EU Enlargement

HC Deb 14 July 1998 vol 316 cc177-9

9. Mr. Ian Pearson (Dudley, South)

What consultation he plans to have with other EU countries on proposals for Agenda 2000 relating to EU enlargement. [48709]

19. Mr. Don Touhig (Islwyn)

What consultations he plans to hold with other European Union countries on Agenda 2000 in respect of EU enlargement. [48719]

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Doug Henderson)

The Cardiff European council agreed to adopt the Agenda 2000 proposals by June 1999. In the meantime, Agenda 2000 and European Union enlargement will be the key issue in my regular contacts with my European colleagues.

Mr. Pearson

I welcome the rapid progress towards admitting the five central and eastern European accession countries to the European Union. Does my hon. Friend agree that, just as the EU should be regarded by British companies as their home market, so should Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Estonia? Is he aware that, in terms of export performance and direct foreign investment, Britain compares badly with Germany, France and many other EU countries? In conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry, will he consider what further steps the Foreign and Commonwealth Office can take specifically to target those accession countries so that we can assist and encourage British businesses to do more work there?

Mr. Henderson

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that question, because it is pertinent to the whole enlargement issue. Enlargement offers an enormous opportunity to British exporters. Those new marketplaces can create a huge number of jobs in Britain, but that will happen only if we take the opportunity that is open to us. A priority of my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry is to try to stimulate British interests, not only in exports, but in investment in those areas.

Mr. Touhig

Is my hon. Friend aware that, while enlargement of the European Union is broadly welcome, at least on this side of the House, it must be accompanied by reform of the common agricultural policy? The previous Government ignored such reform, and cost us millions of pounds as a consequence. Does he agree that we must reduce the proportion of the European Union budget that is used for the common agricultural policy, and that that must be at the core of the Government's programme and their policy on enlargement?

Mr. Henderson

My hon. Friend is right. In the long term, it is essential that the objective that he has identified is attained by the European Union. He is also right to highlight the fact that, over all the years of Conservative government, there was no progress on reform of the agricultural policy. We have better relations with our European counterparts and we shall be able to take advantage of the opportunity to negotiate. The Commission has presented reform proposals on cereals, dairy products and beef, which will potentially save British consumers £1 billion a year. That is a highly desirable objective, and it is a top priority in the negotiations.

Mr. David Heath (Somerton and Frome)

Does the Minister support the view of the Austrian Foreign Minister, Mr. Schüssel, that negotiations on the process of enlargement should be accelerated? Will he give every support to the Austrians in their view that significant progress can be made on common agricultural policy reform during their presidency?

Mr. Henderson

It is important for the management of the European Union that there should be continuity between one presidency and the next. I hope that we established good continuity with our Austrian friends. The priorities identified by the hon. Gentleman are priorities of the Austrian Government, which we support.

Mr. Michael Howard (Folkestone and Hythe)

Does the Minister agree with the Financial Times that failure to inject momentum into reforms on Agenda 2000 was the "most dispiriting aspect" of the Cardiff summit? Does he agree with the Finnish Prime Minister that enlargement after the British presidency is looking more problematic than it did a year ago"? The Foreign Secretary described enlargement as one of the top priorities of the presidency. Is not the truth that it was one of its biggest flops?

Mr. Henderson

I do not mind taking criticism where criticism is due, but, on the matter of taking the process of EU enlargement down the track, the Government played a crucial role in making sure that speedy progress was made. That is acknowledged by all our partners in the EU, as the right hon. and learned Gentleman will find if he speaks to them. An important European conference took place in March, which was described by the Romanian European Minister as an historic day. That feeling was shared by all the countries of central and eastern Europe.

The accession process began on 30 March. I have even had some central and eastern European countries complaining that we were asking them to make progress too speedily, and they were not ready for some of the screening tests. I am happy to take such criticism. Our friends in those countries have now got their act in order and are making progress. I am confident that enlargement is on track and will be achieved.

Ms Patricia Hewitt (Leicester, West)

Will my hon. Friend take this opportunity to congratulate the British Council on the work that it is doing, building relationships with key members of the communities in the accession countries? Does he agree that it is enormously to the benefit of the United Kingdom and our partners in the European Union for us to take a leading role in building those relationships in the accession countries?

Mr. Henderson

My hon. Friend is right. I want to put on record the important role that the British Council plays in building relationships not with Governments or even with Opposition parties, but with the people and institutions of those countries. Such progress on the ground pays back rewards in the future. That is why it is essential that it continues to be a top priority of the British Council.