§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What would be the likely effect on any agreement reached about the number of votes needed to block a European Commission proposal arising from the proposed accession to the European Union of Norway, Sweden, Austria and Finland, if one or more of these countries failed to join as a result of popular vote against doing so.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)If one or more of the applicants failed to accede to the European Union, the effect on an agreement about the number of votes needed to block a proposal would depend on what the EU had decided on this issue. The Council would have to amend the qualified majority voting article, along with a number of other articles, of the Act of Accession, annexed to the Accession treaty.