§ Mr. FraserTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the European Community's association agreements with Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland to come into effect.
§ Mr. Garel-JonesThe trade provisions of the association agreements with Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia came into effect on 1 March 1992 under interim agreements. The main agreements with Poland and Hungary, to which the European Parliament has already given its assent, will come into effect when national Parliaments in all EC member states have authorised their ratification. The presidency is pressing member states to do so rapidly. As well as the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark have completed their ratification procedures. Following the dissolution of the Czechoslovak Federation on 31 December 1992, the Community has moved to begin negotiations on new association agreements with the successor Czech and Slovak Republics.