To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which meetings of (a) the Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union (COREPER) I and (b) COREPER II were attended by UK officials since 1 October 2019.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which meetings of (a) the Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union (COREPER) I and (b) COREPER II were attended by UK officials since 1 October 2019.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) in the EU law-making process; and whether its deliberations take place in secret.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) in the EU law-making process; and whether its deliberations take place in secret.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how the UK's representative on the Committee of Permanent Representatives was instructed to vote on the proposals to modernise the UK's trade defence instruments.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how the UK's representative on the Committee of Permanent Representatives was instructed to vote on the proposals to modernise the UK's trade defence instruments.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what instructions they have given to ensure that UK representatives in the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives (1) do not commit the UK to any new policies prior to withdrawal from the EU, and (2) facilitate a swift and effective withdrawal from the EU.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what instructions they have given to ensure that UK representatives in the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives (1) do not commit the UK to any new policies prior to withdrawal from the EU, and (2) facilitate a swift and effective withdrawal from the EU.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 21 July (WA 156), how many times since 2008 the Council of the European Union has disagreed with items on its agenda previously agreed within Coreper and to be decided without discussion as A-items.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 21 July (WA 156), how many times since 2008 the Council of the European Union has disagreed with items on its agenda previously agreed within Coreper and to be decided without discussion as A-items.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the duties and powers of the European Union's Committee of Permanent Representatives.[HL884]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the duties and powers of the European Union's Committee of Permanent Representatives.[HL884]

Debate on a motion that this House takes note of Unnumbered Explanatory Memorandum of 7 July 2011, the Europan Union Common position on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights (Negotiation Chapter 23), relating to EU enlargement: Croatia; and supports the Government's position to agree the Draft Common Position at COREPER on 29 June and to adopt formally that agreed position at European Council on 12 July. Agreed on question.

Debate on a motion that this House takes note of Unnumbered Explanatory Memorandum of 7 July 2011, the Europan Union Common position on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights (Negotiation Chapter 23), relating to EU enlargement: Croatia; and supports the Government's position to agree the Draft Common Position at COREPER on 29...

I bow to the right hon. Gentleman's experience, because I think he was quite a long-serving Minister for Europe. Part of the answer to his question is that there are now rather fewer European countries outside the European Union than was once the case. However, one thing that is common...

I bow to the right hon. Gentleman's experience, because I think he was quite a long-serving Minister for Europe. Part of the answer to his question is that there are now rather fewer European countries outside the European Union than was once the case. However, one thing that is common...

While we are having a trot around Europe, let me ask about countries such as Moldova that want to join the European Union. Does the Minister agree that what they really want is to join a free trade area rather than some sort of superstate?

While we are having a trot around Europe, let me ask about countries such as Moldova that want to join the European Union. Does the Minister agree that what they really want is to join a free trade area rather than some sort of superstate?

I completely agree with what the Minister says. There has been cross-party support for the enlargement process, but when I held his job more than a decade ago there were 12 candidate countries beating at the door of the EU and asking to be admitted. At that stage, quite a...

I completely agree with what the Minister says. There has been cross-party support for the enlargement process, but when I held his job more than a decade ago there were 12 candidate countries beating at the door of the EU and asking to be admitted. At that stage, quite a...

I will move on to that in a moment, because we certainly agree that Croatia has a lot more to do. I do not pretend that everything is fine and dandy, because more needs to be done, but I am saying to my hon. Friend and to the House that...

I will move on to that in a moment, because we certainly agree that Croatia has a lot more to do. I do not pretend that everything is fine and dandy, because more needs to be done, but I am saying to my hon. Friend and to the House that...

The Minister, as usual, is being extremely generous. Is not the trick to put on a proviso that people coming from new accession countries will need a work permit to come and work in this country? In that way we can ensure that we get people into the EU, without...

The Minister, as usual, is being extremely generous. Is not the trick to put on a proviso that people coming from new accession countries will need a work permit to come and work in this country? In that way we can ensure that we get people into the EU, without...

My hon. Friend mentions that progress on refugee returns has been good, but as I understand it, Croatian co-operation has fallen some way short of being full, because whilst the overall case backlog on outstanding refugee return issues has fallen by 10,000, there were still 785,561 to go. Why is...

My hon. Friend mentions that progress on refugee returns has been good, but as I understand it, Croatian co-operation has fallen some way short of being full, because whilst the overall case backlog on outstanding refugee return issues has fallen by 10,000, there were still 785,561 to go. Why is...

I welcome the opportunity to debate Croatia's accession to the European Union and, in particular, its progress under chapter 23 on judicial and fundamental rights. As the Minister has underlined, there is in the House a broad, cross-party consensus on enlargement. When our party was in government, we supported the...

I welcome the opportunity to debate Croatia's accession to the European Union and, in particular, its progress under chapter 23 on judicial and fundamental rights. As the Minister has underlined, there is in the House a broad, cross-party consensus on enlargement. When our party was in government, we supported the...

I should like to start by putting on the record my congratulations to Croatia on getting this far in its process towards accession to the European Union. I am a big fan of an expanded single market because I genuinely believe that it is in the interests of all EU...

I should like to start by putting on the record my congratulations to Croatia on getting this far in its process towards accession to the European Union. I am a big fan of an expanded single market because I genuinely believe that it is in the interests of all EU...

I will give way once more to my hon. Friend, then I shall make some progress.

I will give way once more to my hon. Friend, then I shall make some progress.

Will my hon. Friend give way?

Will my hon. Friend give way?

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is the proposal that I wanted to put to the Minister. The Foreign Affairs Committee might well have had a useful contribution to make to this debate, as might the Justice Committee. Specifically with regard to Croatia's accession plans, there are issues with...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is the proposal that I wanted to put to the Minister. The Foreign Affairs Committee might well have had a useful contribution to make to this debate, as might the Justice Committee. Specifically with regard to Croatia's accession plans, there are issues with...

I will give way to my hon. Friend.

I will give way to my hon. Friend.