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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the bearing of the letter from the Dutch Government of 16 July 1997, regarding the Amsterdam Treaty negotiations, on the United Kingdom's declaration of intent at the Justice and Home Affairs Council to join elements of Schengen. [82298] Ms Quin: The letter from the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the UK Permanent Representative of 16 July 1997 concerned negotiations of the Schengen Protocol to the Amsterdam Treaty. Following the Home Secretary's statement at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 12 March, the Government expect shortly to be submitting a formal request to participate in provision of the Schengen aquis, under the terms of the Schengen Protocol and Declaration 45 annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty Final Act. Under this Declaration, the Council is invited to seek the opinion of the Commission before it decides on a request from the UK or Ireland to take part in Schengen provisions, and the Member States undertake to make their best efforts to facilitate such participation.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

82298; 330 c339-40W;330 c333-4W

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Correspondence Treaty of Amsterdam Schengen Agreement Netherlands EU Justice and Home Affairs Council (1993-2000)