§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what opinions he has sought as to the applicability of the veto(a) to amendments to the European Community treaty relating to (i) economic and monetary union or (ii) political union and (b) to any new treaty which may be proposed by member states excluding the United Kingdom as to (1) economic and monetary union and (2) political union; and if he will place any such opinion sought in the Library.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesThe two forthcoming intergovernmental conferences have been called to amend the treaty of Rome. Such amendments must be agreed by common accord among the member states. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in the House on 30 October, our objective in the IGCs will be to find solutions which enable the Community to go forward as Twelve.
§ Mr. CashTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what opinions he has received as to whether other member states of the European Economic Community would be in breach of their Community obligations if they sought to make a new European Community treaty for economic and monetary union or political union exclusive of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesThe intergovernmental conferences on economic and monetary union and political union have been called under article 236 of the treaty, which states that the conference must determine by common accord the amendments to be made to the treaty. This precludes amendment of the treaty of Rome by fewer than all member states.