HC Deb 16 May 2002 vol 385 cc809-10W
Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position the Government will be taking on the proposal in the Convention on the Future of Europe that the Charter of Fundamental Rights should be inserted in the treaties; what discussions he has had about this with other member states and other institutions; and if he will make a statement. [56596]

Peter Hain

The Government welcome the European Convention's decision to set up a Working Group to look at the Charter's status and address the legal and practical issues arising from the question of whether, and if so how, the Charter should be included in the treaties. The Government will seek to be represented on this group.

Mr. Spring

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position the Government will be taking on the proposal in the Convention on the Future of Europe that the European Union should be given full legal personality; what discussions he has had on the matter with other member states and other institutions; what assessment the Government have made of the effects of giving the European Union full legal personality; and if he will make a statement. [56595]

Peter Hain

Although legal personality has not yet been discussed in the Convention on the Future of Europe, it will be on the agenda of one of a preliminary round of six working groups to commence in June.

As with other issues discussed in the Convention, the Government will both set out their ideas on legal personality, and hear the views of the other members at the Convention.