§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Lord Privy Seal (1) what action the Council of Ministers proposes to take following the referendum in Greenland; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what action requires to be taken by the EEC Council of Ministers and Commission to enable Greenland to withdraw from the EEC;
(3) if the legislative and administrative arrangements which will require to be carried out to enable Greenland 35W to withdraw from the EEC are different from the legislative and adminstrative arrangements required to enable a full member State of the EEC to withdraw; and if he will make a statement;
(4) if it is the view of Her Majesty's Government that Geenland should be permitted to withdraw from the EEC following the recent referendum in that country.
§ Mr. Humphrey AtkinsHer Majesty's Government have noted with regret that a majority of those voting in the Greenland referendum have expressed a wish to leave the Community. It is for the Greenlandic and Danish Governments to decide how to respond to that wish. If and when a formal request from the Danish Government is received, the Council will consider it.
The legislative and administrative arrangements for the withdrawal of Greenland would be a matter for negotiation. The treaties contain no provision for the withdrawal either of a member State or of a part thereof.