EU Accession Negotiations (Hansard, 4 November 1999)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)
My Lords, the United Kingdom continues to be a strong supporter of European Union enlargement and wants accession to take place as soon as possible. The Government fully support the European Commission's recent proposal to complete the necessary institutional reforms for enlargement from 2002. We expect the Helsinki European Council to confirm this. Negotiations with the applicants are progressing well. With further progress in negotiations, we should be in a better position to set a timetable for completion that is both ambitious and attainable.

§ Lord Wallace of Saltaire
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that encouraging Answer. She and other noble Lords will be aware that it is 10 years since the end of the Cold War and since the successor regimes expressed their commitment to joining the EU. Some of our fellow governments in the EU are talking of the need for another five years, some seven years and some more before those regimes join. We are all aware of the Prime Minister's commitment, made in his Achen speech, to the "urgency" for enlargement and his statement that we have a moral duty to assist in this. Therefore, is it not time for the British Government to insist that at Helsinki there should be drawn up a definite timetable for negotiations and for the first new members to join?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, your Lordships will be aware that Her Majesty's Government have been in the forefront in encouraging enlargement. The United Kingdom presidency in 1998 played a leading role in getting the accession process started. While we are encouraged that so many countries want to join the table, each applicant should join as and when ready. We are encouraging all participants to use due diligence and speed.

§ Lord St. John of Bletso
My Lords, does the Minister agree that granting a timetable would involve granting lengthy transition periods to the applicant accession countries in order for them to deal with their social and economic problems?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, that is right. As regards a number of those countries, 18 of the chapters have already been opened. Another 13 remain to be completed and there are some challenges ahead. We are working closely with all the applicant countries to ensure that they are able to do that as quickly as possible—but when they are ready.

§ Lord Clinton-Davis
My Lords, will my noble friend indicate whether, as regards timetables, any precedent was established in previous accessions? What reason would there be for departing from any such precedent now?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, on each occasion, the timetables have been reflective of the needs of the country involved. Some countries are in an advantageous position and once the chapters are open can have them closed relatively quickly. Other countries are more challenged in relation to meeting the criteria for enlargement.

The Earl of Clanwilliam
My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that the criteria for enlargement depend entirely on the abolition or total reform of the common agricultural policy? What is the Government's position on that point?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, I cannot agree. I do of course understand that agriculture has presented complex challenges in all enlargements to date. For this enlargement in the Agenda 2000 settlement, we ringfenced money—there is 12.5 billion euros for agricultural payments to new members—and substantially increased pre-accession aid to over 500 million euros per year for agricultural reform, as well as introducing some reforms of the common agricultural policy.
We all know that this is a challenge, which is being addressed with vigour. We have in place, in the form of both Mr Prodi and Mr Kinnock, significant campaigners in relation to the reform process.

§ Lord Moynihan
My Lords, is the Minister aware that, when asked whether a further intergovernmental conference would be needed to announce the necessary reforms to the treaty as indicated in Agenda 2000, the noble Lord, Lord Whitty, as the Minister responsible, told the House that he did not believe, whatever was said in Agenda 2000, that we should require a full-blown IGC to put right the failure to take new decisions on re-weighting on the size of the commission?
Can the Minister reconcile that statement with the Government's U-turn, by which they now consider that it is indeed necessary to hold a further IGC to resolve those issues?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, I do not accept that there has been a U-turn. The Government have been clear as to their expectations and the IGC currently envisaged is appropriate and timely.

§ Lord Shore of Stepney
My Lords, I welcome the earliest possible extension of membership of the European Union, and I acknowledge that there must be an IGC to examine institutional changes; but can my noble friend give me and the House an assurance that the Government have made it perfectly clear to the Commission and to others that in that IGC we shall not accept the removal of the unanimity rule on tax changes, and that we shall insist on maintaining that present status?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, I can. I believe that it would be safer if I were to write to my noble friend.

The Earl of Carlisle
My Lords, does the Minister not agree that it is of fundamental importance to have a stable and secure Europe, and that those nations which border the Russian Federation should be admitted to the European Union as quickly as possible for the sake of the stability of central and eastern Europe? Does she not further agree that, in particular, the smaller nations such as Latvia and Lithuania should be given every encouragement to begin negotiations as soon as possible? May we therefore have a timetable?

§ Baroness Scotland of Asthal
My Lords, it is certainly important that enlargement continues, as the noble Earl said, in order to bring greater security in Europe. As I said earlier, much is dependent on the readiness of each country. Your Lordships will know that this Government are encouraging and pursuing that end as effectively as anyone could.