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European Communities (Definition of Treaties) (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) Order 2009

It would be helpful if the noble Lord could write when he has had an opportunity to reflect on this. I am not very familiar with this particular area, but I have a certain familiarity with the EU. My assumption is that the EU is signing and ratifying this treaty only for areas where it has competence. It is not signing and ratifying it on behalf of all 27 member states wherever they have competence, which is why we are ratifying it ourselves and why we are entering reservations. If I have got it right, all our reservations as I see them are in areas where the European Union does not have competence directly. Certainly, regarding the Armed Forces, unless we are going to follow the noble Lord, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, galloping down the route towards a European army, I am not sure where the European competence for that comes. It would be a great pity if we were driving the European Union into making a reservation that was basically unnecessary. However, I am happy to await a reply from the noble Lord when he has taken further advice on that point.