European Union Enlargement

HC Deb 27 October 1998 vol 318 cc145-7

9. Mr. Tim Boswell (Daventry)

If he will make a statement on progress in the EU enlargement process. [54293]

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Robin Cook)

Britain negotiated the launch of the enlargement process during our presidency, and progress in the accession talks has been good. We expect that next month, we can move from the screening process to substantive negotiations with six of the candidate countries.

Last week, I visited two other candidate countries—Bulgaria and Romania—whose Governments both expressed their warm appreciation of Britain's support for the enlargement of the European Union.

Mr. Boswell

Enlargement in due course is clearly essential for the applicant countries, and much in the interests of this country and of existing member states.

Mr. Cook

indicated assent.

Mr. Boswell

I am pleased to have the Foreign Secretary's acknowledgement of that. Would he resist firmly any further moves towards gratuitous deepening of the Community, on the ground that, if applicant countries already have enough difficulty keeping their footing through the existing acquis communautaire, any further impositions might put them out of their depth altogether?

Mr. Cook

I agree with the hon. Gentleman's point that we should remember that enlargement is also in the interest of the existing member states. It will make the European Union larger, give it greater potential for prosperity and greater clout in world trade talks, and enable us to deal with cross-border problems, such as the environment and cross-border crime. This is not simply a matter of altruism towards the applicant countries—it is in our interest, too—but it is not the case that the applicant countries would oppose what the hon. Gentleman referred to as further deepening. They want to become members of a full, strong Europe, with integration where necessary and decentralisation wherever possible.

Mr. Ian Pearson (Dudley, South)

Will my right hon. Friend confirm that the five eastern European accession countries, with 63 million people and a gross domestic product of about 400 billion ecu, represent a major addition to the European Union economy and a major opportunity for British companies to extend their home markets? Will he, in conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry, review the substantial information that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has on markets and market opportunities in those countries, and ensure that it is available to British businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, because too few of them are approaching the FCO about such opportunities at the moment?

Mr. Cook

I have just returned from Bulgaria and Romania. I was struck not only by the opportunity for investment and trade in those countries, but by their desperate need for that investment and trade. Enlargement offers us an economic opportunity, but we must recognise that we cannot maintain a Europe that, although no longer divided by an iron curtain, is divided into the rich nations of the European Union and the poor countries at our gates. That is not sustainable, and we shall suffer from the pressures from illegal migration, the drugs trade and other problems that come from poverty. It is in our interests to assist those countries to achieve our prosperity.

Mr. Michael Howard (Folkestone and Hythe)

Does the Foreign Secretary really believe that deepening integration, increasing spending and moving towards tax harmonisation and a European army—all of which were agreed in Austria last weekend—will help the enlargement process? Is it not clear that there can be deepening or widening of the European Union, but not both? Does he accept that his statement in August that Maastricht was a high water mark of integration seems even more ludicrous now than it did then?

Mr. Cook

The right hon. and learned Gentleman cannot complain about the response in Kosovo and yet refuse to apply that lesson for Europe's security. That is exactly what the Prime Minister was drawing to the attention of the leaders of Europe when they met in Pörtschach.

I am not sure that the right hon. and learned Gentleman wants to achieve any kind of Europe, but if he wants to build a Europe that is decentralised and that observes the principle of subsidiarity, he should welcome the fact that the debate on the future of Europe was started by Britain. We are focusing on achieving the right balance between decisions on cross-border issues that must be taken in Brussels and decisions on issues that are better taken within member states. The Government are promoting a balance between integration where necessary and decentralisation where possible.

Mr. Alan Simpson (Nottingham, South)

I welcome the Foreign Secretary's comments on enlargement. What assessment has been made of the challenges and opportunities that enlargement will bring, and of the adequacy of existing EU structural funds? Decisions may need to be taken about extending the scope of such funds.

Mr. Cook

There are substantial programmes to assist countries that are preparing for membership. The pre-accession funds are generous. Yesterday, in the General Affairs Council, we agreed on re-allocation as applicant countries become full members. Structural funds will be available to them as full members. That is why it is important that we proceed with the reform of not just the structural funds, but the common agricultural policy to ensure that we can afford enlargement and that the resources of the European Union go where they can best be used.