HC Deb 11 December 2000 vol 359 cc28-30W
Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the WEU and the EU have agreed on how they are to co-operate during the transitional period until the EU's crisis-management structures become fully operational. [141336]

Mr. Vaz

Under the authority of WEU Secretary-General/CFSP High Representative, Javier Solana, there is close co-ordination between the WEU and the EU on the transfer of certain functions from the WEU to the EU.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements the EU has made for non-EU NATO members to contribute to EU decisions on defence crisis management. [141332]

Mr. Vaz

The Nice European Council agreed extensive arrangements to involve non-EU European members of NATO in EU military crisis management. Those countries have the right to take part in any EU-led operation involving NATO assets and capabilities. Nice also made initial proposals regarding the involvement of Canada in ESDP.

In any operation in which not-member states take part they will have the same rights and obligations in the day-to-day conduct of that operation as participating member states.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the rights of non-EU European NATO members and other accession candidates(a) within the new ESDP structures and (b) their status in WEU as associate members and associate partners. [141338]

Mr. Vaz

The Nice European Council took decisions on arrangements for the involvement in ESDP of non-EU European members of NATO and other accession candidates. These provide for the fullest possible association of such countries in EU-led military operations in times of crisis. These countries' status as WEU associate members and associate partners is unaffected by developments in the EU.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what progress has been made in settling means of parliamentary scrutiny over the CESDP; and if he will make a statement;[141334]

(2) what assessment he has made of the proposals by the European Parliament to offer representatives of national Parliaments a limited opportunity for involvement in parliamentary scrutiny over CESDP. [141335]

Mr. Vaz

Decisions on the deployment of United Kingdom forces on EU-led military crisis management operations are decisions for the Government of the United Kingdom. They will be taken by the Prime Minister, in the same way that decisions to deploy United Kingdom forces on the operations of any international organisation, including NATO or the United Nations, are taken. The Government will be accountable to Parliament for those decisions.

European Union documents relating to common European security and defence policy will come within the scope of procedures for parliamentary scrutiny of all EU common foreign and security policy decisions.

The European Parliament will continue to exercise scrutiny over all aspects of common foreign and security policy in accordance with the provisions of Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union.

The Prime Minister has proposed the creation of a second chamber of the European Parliament, to be composed of representatives from the national Parliaments of EU member states. Such a chamber could provide a forum for the consideration of CESDP matters in the future.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the basis and structure of consultation between the EU and non-EU NATO countries will be established. [141337]

Mr. Vaz

The Nice European Council agreed arrangements for consultation with non-EU European NATO countries and made initial proposals regarding consultation with Canada.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress made in developing permanent consultation bodies for co-operation between the EU and NATO. [141333]

Mr. Vaz

The Nice European Council made proposals for permanent arrangements to provide for co-operation, consultation and transparency between the EU and NATO. This followed detailed discussion in EU/NATO working groups over the last few months. We want to see EU/NATO permanent arrangements finalised as soon as possible.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the impact of the ESDP on NATO's primary rights to first resort for(a) collective defence and (b) crisis management. [141331]

Mr. Vaz

NATO remains the foundation of the collective defence of its members and retains an important role in crisis management. The EU will act in military crisis management only where NATO as a whole is not engaged. This was agreed by EU Heads of State and Government at the European Council in Helsinki in December 1999. Nothing in the evolution of ESDP has changed that position.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on how NATO members are to be consulted on when and where the EU may act in an emergency crisis. [141339]

Mr. Vaz

The Nice European Council endorsed proposals to provide full consultation, co-operation and transparency between the EU and NATO. These EU proposals are now for negotiation with NATO.