§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on EU enlargement and prospects for UK business; and what measures have been brought in to assist businesses in dealing with enlargement. [32529]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThere is a broad consensus that EU enlargement will benefit the UK economy since it will provide new opportunities for trade and investment. These opportunities will increase as the economies of the EU candidate countries grow and integrate further with those of the existing EU member states.
The DTI and Trade Partners UK have produced information about EU enlargement, aimed at alerting UK businesses and helping them work out the practical consequences and opportunities for them. The DTI's publication "EU Enlargement and the single Market: Opportunities for Business" published in September 2000 provides information about the enlargement process and the details of the candidate markets.