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EU: Enlargement (EUC Report)

My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Grenfell on his thoughtful and wide-ranging speech about the future of the European Community. He has presented certain recommendations that are embraced in the report and which we ought to take seriously. The committee has undertaken a monumental and invaluable task. However, it is crucial that we should face up to the challenges and advantages which could accrue from the European Union’s enlargement. Before saying anything else, I should declare an interest. I had the honour to be a European Commissioner from 1985 to 1989. In that respect, I owe a great deal to two Members of the House. The first being the noble Lord, Lord Williamson, who I met before taking office—in 1984, I think—when he had moved from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Cabinet Office. He later became a most successful Secretary-General of the European Commission. I also owe a great deal to the noble and learned Lord, Lord Howe of Aberavon. He displayed an unstinting interest in the Commission’s activities, something which I could not say of all members of the then Conservative Government. When the European Union was established, it was never intended to be a union of 12, still less of 27, or more, nations. However, it was designed—and in this regard has succeeded—to offer sound economic advice and, coupled with that, social progress. It stood for durable and strong values and ensured that Europe’s voice was heard when and where it counted. As I have said, the European Union has largely succeeded but it has inevitably also encountered failure. Its principal success has been to establish peace over a wide area, one in which war was, all too often, a debilitating factor. It has also played a vital part in bringing democracy to the lives of so many where dictatorship of the right or of the alleged left was often the order of the day. Enlargement brings its own problems but it also has immense rewards, which are insufficiently voiced by those in power and, as a consequence, are not felt enough by the people living in the various countries of the European Union. In contrast to Euro-sceptic views, the United Kingdom has enjoyed huge benefits in trade, exports and investment from other countries within and without the European Union, all of which have grown exponentially and that trend persists. The UK, together with Ireland and Sweden, has benefited enormously from large employment growth and has accrued immense advantages in the development of the single market. In that regard, I say, in passing, how much is owed to my then colleague, the late Lord Cockfield. In three months—it took him only three months—he went from being a Euro-sceptic of the highest, or, should I say, the lowest, order, to being a valued member of the Commission. In tackling international crime, the UK has enjoyed co-operation from other countries, but this is especially marked between the UK and other EU members. The UK has fully participated in environmental schemes and has helped make Europe’s contribution so much more meaningful. We face enormous challenges in that respect, especially regarding climate change. However, the leadership being shown by our country is of great value, not only to the European Union, but also more widely than that. The most intractable problem confronting the UK and the EU is the possible accession of Turkey, of which we have heard a great deal in today’s debate. Despite its abolition of the death penalty, improving the lot of women, the diminution of torture and many hard-won benefits, much more needs to be done. Turkey must guarantee the political and economic rights of Cyprus and, as far as I can judge, it has simply not done enough. My hope is that common sense will prevail, but in this important respect, we are entitled to expect that Turkey will exhibit its bona fides—so far, alas, the auguries are not very benign. To this end, the report expresses the view, which I wholly endorse, that the UK should do whatever it can to ensure that Turkey plays its full part in bringing the negotiation to an honourable and successful conclusion. It can do no less. How will Turkey respond? We do not know the answer to that vital question. We can only hope. Further enlargement is key to the EU’s continued progress. However, I emphasise—as does the report and the Government’s response—that this has to be a two-way process. It will never be easy to manage a union of 27—perhaps more—member states but the European Union’s team, led by Mr. Barroso, is proving capable of achieving a great deal. As a country, we should actively participate in this endeavour and not simply snipe from the sidelines.