HC Deb 16 June 1997 vol 296 cc14-5W
Mr. Mitchell

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the topics suggested for future agreement by qualified majority vote of the Council of Ministers of the European Community contained in draft proposals from the Presidency to be considered at the forthcoming Inter-Governmental Conference. [3911]

Mr. Doug Henderson

Below is the relevant section from the latest Presidency proposalList of Articles where extension of QMV is envisaged

  • Article 8a: Right of movement and residence.
  • Article 45(3): Compensatory aid for imports of raw materials.
  • Article 51: Measures in the field of social security necessary to provide freedom of movement.
  • Article 56(2): Coordination of provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action for special treatment for foreign nationals (right of establishment).
  • Article 57(2): Amendment of principles laid down by law governing the professions in a Member State.
  • Article 128: Culture.
  • Article 130: Industry.
  • Article 130i(1): Adoption of the research framework programme.
  • Article 130i(2): Adapting or supplementing the research framework programme.
  • Article 130o: Setting up of joint undertakings in R and T development.
  • Article 130s(2): Environment.

It should be noted that:

  • questions related to the free movement of persons shall be governed initially by unanimity but, after a transitional period of three years, should in principle fall within the scope of qualified majority voting;
  • the broader scope of Article 113 of the TEC implies a broader scope for QMV;
  • the new CFSP provisions on decision-making entail an extension for QMV;
  • a number of new provisions in the Treaty will also be subject to QMV;
  • Article 209a (countering fraud);
  • New Article (customs cooperation);
  • Article 213a (statistics);
  • Article 213b (protection of individuals with regard to the processing and free movement of personal data).