§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the proposed citizenship status under the treaty of European union, of citizens of(a) French overseas territories and (b) British dependent territories.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe declaration on nationality of a member state accompanying the treaty on European Union states
the question whether an individual possesses the nationality of a member state shall be settled solely by reference to the national law of the member state concerned.Under the United Kingdom declaration on the definition of United Kingdom nationals for European Community purposes, made on accession and revised in January 1983, the only British dependent territories citizens so defined are those
who acquire their citizenship from a connection with Gibraltar".These are accordingly the only BDTCs eligible for citizenship of the European union. It is not for us to comment on French nationality law.