§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the relationship between the decision in respect of Denmark taken by the European Council in Edinburgh on 11 and 12 December, and article 2 of the Vienna convention on the law of international treaties 1969; and what is the depository state in respect of that decision.
§ Mr. GoodladThe decision concerning certain problems raised by Denmark is an international agreement binding on the parties to the treaty on European union. The decision does not require ratification and there is therefore no depositary state. The authentic text is held by the Council secretariat.
§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what mechanism adherence by Her Majesty's Government to decisions taken by the European Council of the European Community are applicable in either international law or any treaty of the Community.
§ Mr. GoodladThe decision concerning certain problems raised by Denmark on the treaty on European union was not taken by the Edinburgh European Council but by the Heads of State and Government meeting within the European Council. It is an agreement binding in international law between the parties to the treaty on European union. It constitutes an agreement, in the sense of article 31 of the Vienna convention on the law of treaties, for the purposes of interpretation of the treaty on European union.