Treaty of Nice (Hansard, 16 January 2001)

§ Mr. Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) where and when he expects the final text of the Treaty of Nice to be signed; and who will sign it on behalf of the United Kingdom; [144856]
(2) when the Government will (a) publish and (b) sign the final text of the Treaty of Nice; [144829]
(3) if he will publish the text of the final version of the forthcoming Treaty of Nice as a Command Paper, prior to a substantive debate on it in the House. [144894]

§ Mr. Vaz
The Treaty of Nice will be signed by representatives of all 15 member states. Specific details about the time and place have not yet been decided, but legal and linguistic experts are currently expected to finalise the text by around the middle of February. Signature will follow shortly thereafter.
Up to date versions of the Treaty text are available on the website www.europ.eu.int and in the Libraries of each House. Following signature the Treaty will be submitted to Parliament in the form of a Command Paper in the usual way.

§ Mr. Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a White Paper listing each amendment, declaration and obligation contained in the Treaty of Nice together with an assessment of their implications and an explanation of the reasons underlying the Government's support for them. [144830]

§ Mr. Vaz
The successful negotiation of the Treaty of Nice was a major achievement, as the Prime Minister set out in his statement to the House on 10 December and as I explained to the European Scrutiny Committee in an evidence session on 9 January. Once the final text of the Treaty has been signed it will be laid before Parliament as a Command Paper, and accompanied in the usual way by an Explanatory Memorandum.
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§ Mr. Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the textual and linguistic amendments agreed to the conclusions of the provisional text of the Treaty of Nice published on 12 December 2000. [144855]

§ Mr. Vaz
The Treaty of Nice document SN 533/1/00 REV 1 contains the clerical corrections to the draft Treaty which were examined at the meetings of the Permanent Representatives Committee on 20 and 21 December 2000. It can be found on the website www.europa.eu.int. Legal and linguistic editing is due to commence shortly.

§ Mr. Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to Cm 4595, "IGC, Reform for Enlargement", concerning the provisions for flexibility with the European Union available since 1997, if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of the nature of the decisions taken and procedures used to authorise them, indicating the changes proposed in the provisional Treaty of Nice concerning such authorisations. [144745]

§ Mr. Vaz
The Government strongly support the new enhanced co-operation arrangements. Though their use is likely to remain exceptional, they provide the EU with an element of flexibility that should increase its efficiency while preserving the Single Market and avoiding the emergency of an inner core.
For the precise details of the changes proposed concerning authorisations, I refer my hon. Friend to the provisional text of the Treaty of Nice which has been placed in the Library of the House.