HC Deb 10 May 2004 vol 421 cc119-20W
Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on(a) the transitional arrangements for voting and (b) the qualified majority voting requirements in the Council of Ministers. [171499]

Mr. MacShane

Under the terms of the 2003 Treaty of Accession, which came into force on 1 May 2004, the new Member States have been incorporated into the present system of voting in the Council of Ministers.

The allocation of votes when the Council is required to act by a qualified majority is as follows:

Belgium 5
Czech Republic 5
Denmark 3
Germany 10
Estonia 3
Greece 5
Spain 8
France 10
Ireland 3
Italy 10
Cyprus 2
Latvia 3
Lithuania 3
Luxembourg 2
Hungary 5
Malta 2
Netherlands 5
Austria 4
Poland 8
Portugal 5
Slovenia 3
Slovakia 3
Finland 3
Sweden 4
United Kingdom 10

For their adoption, acts of the Council require at least 88 votes in favour cast by at least two-thirds of the members.

This will continue until the new voting arrangements under the Treaty of Nice come into effect on 1 November 2004.

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