EU Constitution (Hansard, 24 May 2004)

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the changes made in the text of the proposed EU Constitution since it was published by Her Majesty's Government in Cm 5897; and whether the Government(a) was consulted on and (b) approves of each change; [174936]
(2) whether unanimity is required for changes to the draft Constitutional Treaty; [174947]
(3) which EU member states have (a) submitted formal amendments to the official draft of the proposed constitution of the European Union published in August 2003 and (b) have given notice that they are likely to do so; by what dates such amendments have to be tabled prior to the meeting of the European Council on 17 to 18th June 2004; and what arrangements he is making for their consideration by Parliament. [175107]

§ Mr. MacShane
The draft EU Constitutional Treaty proposed by the Convention on the Future of Europe has no legal status. The European Council decided in June last year that it was a good basis for starting negotiations in the Intergovernmental Conference. The Italian and subsequently Irish Presidencies of the EU have proposed changes to the EU Constititonal Treaty as drafted by the Convention, after consulting with all Member States. Their proposals (summarised in the most recent Irish papers CIG 70/04, 73/04, 75/04, 76/04 and 77/04) have been deposited in the Library of the House and are available from the Presidency website (www.eu2004.ie). They are the subject of discussion in the Intergovernmental Conference The Government has taken part fully in these discussions. Nothing is finally agreed until everything is agreed. The EU Constitutional Treaty, like any new EU Treaty, can only be agreed by the common "accord of all Member States.

§ Mr. Ancram
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in full the Government's red lines on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe; and if he will make a statement. [174995]

§ Mr. Straw
The Government's policy towards the negotiations on the EU Constitutional Treaty remains as set out in the White Paper on the Intergovernmental Conference (Cm 5934), presented to Parliament on 9 September 2003.