§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the structures that have been put into place to provide a framework for dialogue, consultation and co-operation between the non-EU NATO countries and the EU countries concerning the nature and functioning of EU-led operations using NATO assets and capabilities. [143056]
§ Mr. VazThe Presidency Report to the Nice European Council sets out the structures and procedures for involvement of non-EU European members of NATO and makes initial proposals regarding Canada.
§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements the EU has made to provide the non-EU NATO members with a voice in shaping EU decisions in crisis management. [143041]
§ Mr. VazI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for West Suffolk (Mr. Spring) on 11 December 2000,Official Report, column 31W.
§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the conclusions reached at the first meeting between the EU interim Political and Security Committee and the North Atlantic Council held in September 2000. [143060]
§ Mr. VazThe meeting agreed on the importance of taking forward work in NATO and the EU to develop European Defence. The meeting reviewed the work already done in the EU/NATO ad hoc Working Groups established following the Feira European Council and noted the input that NATO experts were already making to EU nations' work on the development of the capabilities Headline Goal.
§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if non-EU NATO member countries will be given a seat on the EU Permanent Political and Security Committee. [143058]
§ Mr. VazNo, but non-EU European members of NATO and other countries candidate to join the European Union may appoint representatives to act as interlocutors with the PSC. And the PSC will have regular meetings with representatives of the other countries concerned.
§ Mr. Duncan SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects that the final shape of the structure for consultations between the EU and the non-EU NATO countries will be established. [143057]
§ Mr. VazThe Nice European Council invited the Swedish Presidency to take forward implementation of the permanent structures for European Security and Defence Policy, including for consultation with non-EU European NATO Allies and other accession candidates.