HL Deb 27 January 1992 vol 534 c39WA
Lord Clinton-Davis

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why no provision was made in the Maastricht agreement concerning the Union treaty to extend beyond 31st December 1992, the date mentioned in Article 8A of the Single European Act and whether, in view of this omission, the qualified majority and co-operation procedures established in Article 100A will come to an end on 31st December 1992.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (The Earl of Caithness)

Any specific extension in this sense could have been seen as weakening member states' commitment to establishing the single market by the end of 1992. However the Commission is expected to bring forward single market-related measures after 1992. The treaty agreed at Maastricht provides that measures under Article 100A will be subject to the new Article 189B procedure.