§ Mr. Jim MarshallTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs Council held in Brussels on 4 and 5 December; and if he will make a statement. [141626]
§ 6. Mr. VazThe General Affairs Council (GAC) on 4–5 December adopted the "A" points listed in document no. 14012/00 and noted the resolutions, decisions and opinions adopted by the European Parliament in its session of 13–17 November in Strasbourg listed in document no. 12937/00. Copies of these documents have been placed in the House Libraries.
Nice Preparation (External Issues)
The GAC considered the Presidency report to the Nice European Council on European Security and Defence Policy and agreed to submit it to the Nice European Council.
Preparations for Nice (Horizontal Issues)
The Presidency outlined the agenda for the Nice European Council and ran through the reports to be presented at it.
IGC
The GAC discussed various issues relating to the Inter-governmental Conference. These included enhanced co-operation, the size and composition of the Commission, Qualified Majority Voting and other areas covered in the latest Presidency draft Treaty text. Discussion would continue at the Nice Summit from 7 December.
198WEnlargement
The GAC agreed a Report on Enlargement to be annexed to the Nice European Council conclusions. The Report reaffirmed the historical perspective of enlargement, confirmed that the EU will be ready to welcome new members from the end of 2002 and welcomed the Commission's Strategy Paper. It is consistent with the Prime Minister's call, in Warsaw in October, for new members to participate in the European Parliament elections in 2004.
Turkey Pre-accession Strategy
The GAC reached agreement, pending receipt of the European Parliament's opinion, on the text of Turkey's Accession Partnership; agreed a Framework Regulation providing the legal base for the Partnership; and adopted a proposal guaranteeing 450 million euro (£275.76 million) of European Investment Bank lending to Turkey, to help Turkey implement the provisions of its Customs Union with the EC.
MEPS' Statute
The Presidency reported that there had been no significant progress in its negotiations with the European Parliament. There was no discussion.