§ Lord Pearson of Rannochasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the their statement on page 13 of the Command Paper Developments in the EU, July-December 1999 (Cm 4762) that "enlargement … will reunite the European Continent", what is their definition of "the European Continent"; and in which period of European history it was united. [HL3033]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalEnlargement will finally end the Cold War division of Europe. Countries which were divided for decades by political and economic barriers will participate once again as full and independent members of the European family of states. There are already 13 candidates for membership of the EU. The Amsterdam Treaty makes clear that any European state which conforms to the EU's political, economic and administrative criteria can join the Union. But no formal definition of a European state has been discussed with EU partners.