HC Deb 16 May 2000 vol 350 cc106-7W
17. Mr. Swayne

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the President of the European Commission to discuss proposals to be agreed at Nice. [120886]

Mr. Robin Cook

I meet the President of the Commission regularly, including at the monthly meetings of the General Affairs Council.

We expect two main issues for agreement at the Nice European Council. First, the agreement to reform of the European Union to prepare it for enlargement, on which we share with France the key objective of securing a reweighting of votes in favour of larger members. Secondly, conclusion of the arrangements for the European Security Initiative, on which France has been our partner since we launched it jointly at St. Malo. The French Presidency is also mandated to take forward the conclusions of the Lisbon European Summit, at which Britain secured Europe's commitment to our agenda of economic reform and full employment.

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