European Union (Accessions) Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 2:04 pm on 21 May 2003.

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Photo of Denis MacShane Denis MacShane Minister of State (Europe), Foreign & Commonwealth Office 2:04, 21 May 2003

Let me try to explain. When the IGC starts, when it is triggered—we do not yet know when that will be—all 25 member states will participate fully. There are no votes at the IGC in the sense of votes on amendments to a Bill. People search for compromise and the veto power comes at the end of the process. That will not happen until after 1 May next year, when the 10 new member states will be full, legal, veto-wielding members of that IGC. Beforehand, they will have exactly the same powers as us.

I hope that hon. Members can now move on. There is not a problem on this matter. There is a debate about when the IGC should start and how long it should go on for, but we are clear that those countries will participate fully and have the same veto rights as we will at the end.