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906492

registered interest
date	17/05/2018
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Enlargement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the recent EU summit in Sofia has strengthened their support for EU enlargement, and in particular the candidacy of Albania and Macedonia.
tabling member printed	The Earl of Sandwich
uin	HL8005
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/06/2018 answer text <p>​The Government will continue to support countries committed to the EU accession process in meeting the necessary requirements, including Albania and Macedonia – this position is long-standing. As and when candidate countries have met the requirements for accession in full, it will be for those countries and European Union members at the time to decide on membership.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 01/06/2018 13:07:46 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	2109 label Biography information for The Earl of Sandwich

891857

registered interest
date	25/04/2018
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Enlargement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any public statements in favour of the concept of European Union enlargement since the UK referendum on EU membership; and if so, when and in what forum those statements were made.
tabling member printed	The Earl of Sandwich
uin	HL7296
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2018 answer text <p>This Government believes that the accession process is fundamental to delivering security, stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans and Turkey. We have set that out (to Parliament, EU and regional partners) on a number of occasions since the UK referendum on EU membership. The UK will continue to support countries committed to the accession process in meeting the necessary requirements. As and when candidate countries have met the requirements for accession in full, it will be for those countries and European Union members at the time to decide on membership.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 10/05/2018 16:40:24 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	2109 label Biography information for The Earl of Sandwich

512773

registered interest
date	14/04/2016
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Enlargement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 7 March (HL6442), whether they support the application to join the EU of (1) Turkey, (2) Macedonia, (3) Montenegro, (4) Albania, and (5) Serbia.
tabling member printed	Lord Grocott
uin	HL7662
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2016 answer text <p>We support all five countries' aspiration to join the EU as an important means to drive reform. Turkey’s accession process remains the most effective mechanism to support continuing reform in Turkey. In the Western Balkans, the prospect of EU membership is helping to build stability and promote cooperation on issues that matter to the UK, including organised crime and illegal migration. The strict conditionality of the enlargement process means that it takes many years for a country to complete accession negotiations, undertake reforms and achieve the progress needed to meet EU membership criteria. Any decision to enlarge the EU requires the unanimous agreement of the governments of all existing Member States and ratification in accordance with each country’s constitutional arrangements. In the case of the UK, under the European Union Act 2011 ratification cannot take place without an Act of Parliament to approve the new accession. We can therefore ensure that our requirements are respected in any future EU enlargement. The UK will insist that controls on free movement cannot be lifted until accession countries’ economies have converged much more closely with existing Member States.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 27/04/2016 15:03:09 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	276 label Biography information for Lord Grocott

458841

registered interest
date	09/03/2016
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Enlargement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether free movement of people and capital would apply to all applicant countries to the EU should they become member states.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL6875
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2016 answer text <p>Free Movement of People and Capital are covered under the EU acquis, (primarily in Chapters 2 and 4), as part of the accession process of any new Member State. However Article 49 of the Treaty on EU makes clear that the EU and the applicant state will agree the conditions of admission and any adjustment to the treaties ahead of a candidate country joining the EU. As a result transitional controls have been introduced to the Free Movement of Workers. In their current form, these transitional controls allow a Member State the option of delaying the implementation of free movement for a maximum of seven years after the date of accession. The Government is seeking to reform these measures as set out in the 22 February 2016 White Paper “The Best of Both Worlds: the United Kingdom’s Special Status in a Reformed European Union”, and the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has made it clear that we will not agree to further enlargement taking place before such reforms have been agreed and implemented.</p><p>All decisions about the accession of a new member to the EU require unanimous agreement of all existing members. In addition, any accession to the EU would under the EU Act 2011 need to be ratified by Act of Parliament.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 23/03/2016 17:17:30 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

455137

registered interest
date	25/02/2016
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Enlargement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government which countries have expressed an interest in applying for membership of the EU.
tabling member printed	Lord Grocott
uin	HL6442
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2016 answer text <p>Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) states that any European State which respects its values and is committed to promoting them may apply to become a member of the Union. The Council currently recognises five candidates for EU membership: Turkey, Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Serbia. Turkey, Montenegro and Serbia have started accession negotiations. Albania and Macedonia have Candidate Status but have not started accession negotiations. Bosnia and Herzegovina submitted its membership application on 15 February 2016. The General Affairs Council will revert to Bosnia and Herzegovina's application once it deems that sufficient progress in the implementation of the Reform Agenda has been achieved. Kosovo is recognised as a potential candidate and has signed and concluded a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU. Iceland started negotiations in 2013, but last year requested that it no longer be considered a candidate country.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 07/03/2016 16:02:20 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	276 label Biography information for Lord Grocott

101008

registered interest
date	27/10/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Enlargement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what stance they intend to take on the accession of any new countries to the European Union in respect of such countries' ability to be net contributors to the European Union budget.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL2464
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text <p>Any future UK assessment of the costs and benefits of any future accession of a country to the EU would depend on a number of factors including the budgetary impact of any new accession, the benefits that enlargement can bring in terms of increased opportunities for trade, cooperation against organised crime and greater political stability in Europe. The impact of accession of any new countries to the EU upon the EU’s budget would depend on the relative wealth of the new Member State. Wealthier Member States would be additional net contributors to the EU budget while less wealthy Member States, would be net recipients. We support the focus of the European Commission on the need for economic convergence to be a central element in the accession process of any candidate country.</p><p>The economic element of the Copenhagen Criteria – the rules that identify whether a country is ready to join the EU – provides that, to join the EU, a candidate country must become a “functioning market economy and have the capacity to withstand competitive pressures and market forces within the Union.”</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 10/11/2014 15:01:11 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

100050

registered interest
date	21/10/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Enlargement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the process of accession of further countries from the former Yugoslavia to the European Union, any steps are being taken to ensure that British citizens are compensated for any deprivation of property during the Tito era.
tabling member printed	Lord Ashcroft
uin	HL2256
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The accession process of countries from the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the European Union does not involve steps specifically aimed at ensuring that British citizens are compensated for any deprivation of property during the Tito era. However the criteria for EU accession for candidate countries do include a requirement to implement measures to ensure that the rule of law is firmly embedded within the judicial and political system. This includes respect for private property, and we note that the European Commission has highlighted specifically the need for progress on restitution of property in its most recent annual enlargement Progress Reports on the Western Balkans countries published on 8 October. Furthermore, all Western Balkan countries have ratified the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms, the First Protocol of which enshrines the principle of respect for private property. <br><br>Some Western Balkans countries have, in recent years, made progress on the restitution of private property. Serbia invited applications for restitution and received 75,000 of them. Montenegro and Albania have been slower to implement their legislation on restitution, as highlighted in successive annual country Progress Reports by the European Commission. In 2012, the Commission recognised progress regarding restitution of property in Macedonia seized under the former Yugoslav Communist regime, despite administrative and judicial delays. In May, Albania (which was not part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) submitted an action plan to the Council of Europe, aiming to create, by June 2015, an effective mechanism to enforce decisions on restitution of, or compensation for, property nationalised during the Communist regime. The Kosovo Property Claims Commission and Kosovo Property Agency continue to resolve outstanding private property disputes resulting from the 1998-99 armed conflict. Over 40,000 claims have been decided. Bosnia and Herzegovina has made no progress on restitution of private property in the last four years. Despite earlier attempts to enact a legal framework, there is none in place.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 15:09:31 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2568 label Biography information for Lord Ashcroft

77320

registered interest
date	10/07/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Enlargement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the amount of Russian investment in the countries of the Western Balkans which are candidates, or potential candidates, for membership of the European Union.
tabling member printed	Lord Bowness
uin	HL1054
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p>It is impossible to provide a definitive assessment of the amount of Russian investment in the Western Balkans. There are varying levels of investment across the region, with a strong emphasis on the energy sector.</p><p>Figures from the Serbia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA) show that Russia was the seventh largest foreign direct investor in Serbia in the period 2001-13. The majority of that investment is in the energy sector. In 2013 87 per cent of Serbia’s gas needs were supplied by Russia. Gazprom owns 56 per cent of the Serbian oil company Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS). It is investing a reported $2.1 billion in the building of South Stream. Other energy companies, such as LUKOIL, are active. There has also been Russian investment in the railway and banking sectors.</p><p>In the first nine months of 2013, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) attracted €95 million of Russian investment, which was 46 per cent of total foreign investment. To date the biggest Russian investment in BiH has been in the privatisation and modernisation of the petrol industry in Republika Srpska (RS) and the acquisition of Austria’s Volksbank by Sberbank. Other projects of Russian interest are: a coal mine and thermo-power station complex at Uglejevik; a branch pipeline connection to South Stream (into Serbia), which provides mains gas supply to 47 towns in Republika Srpska; and a hydro power plant at Dabar, with a proposal for two further small hydro plants.</p><p>Macedonian industry is dependent on Russian gas and Skopje expects to be included in the South Stream project.</p><p>The bilateral relationship between Albania and Russia is modest. Albania does not import oil or gas directly from Russia, although Russian companies are among those looking to invest in the renewal of the Albanian energy sector. Albanian exports to Russia are minimal – in 2012 they represented only 0.45 per cent of the country’s total exports.</p><p>Montenegro’s bilateral trade with Russia is also small. In 2012-13, 43 per cent of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) came from EU countries, with Russian FDI amounting to 14 per cent. However levels of Russian tourism are still substantial, with a 28 per cent share of a sector which represents 30 per cent of the economy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 22/07/2014 12:14:16 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	3496 label Biography information for Lord Bowness

76609

registered interest
date	08/07/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Enlargement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 2 July concerning European Union enlargement (WA 262), why they have not made their own impact assessment of enlargement, especially in relation to the impact on taxpayers and immigration as a result of free movement of people; and whether they will now do so.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL953
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>Only Croatia has joined the EU since 2010, and this involved a thorough debate in Parliament on Croatia’s accession Treaty. Following Croatia’s accession, no further countries are expected to join the EU before the early 2020s. As part of the process of extending the Transitional Controls on Bulgaria and Romania the Government commissioned an independent review, by the Migration Advisory Committee, on access of those countries’ nationals to the UK labour market, which issued in November 2011.</p><p>The European Commission provides detailed assessments of the expected impact of any new Member State joining the EU. In addition, reports on enlargement and on the freedom of movement of persons are included in the Government's Balance of Competences Review. We have no plans to commission additional assessments of the impact of enlargement as we do not believe that they would add value to those reports already published or commissioned.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 21/07/2014 13:09:45 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon

62526

registered interest
date	18/06/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	EU Enlargement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 17 June (WA 37), which third countries envisage joining the European Union; and what assessment they have made of the impact of further European Union enlargement, particularly on the financing of the European Union and migration.
tabling member printed	Lord Stoddart of Swindon
uin	HL455
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2014 answer text <p>Six countries currently have been awarded Candidate Status by the European Union (EU). Of these, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey are currently in accession negotiations. Iceland has suspended its accession negotiations. Macedonia is a candidate country but has not yet opened accession negotiations. Last month, the European Council endorsed the decision to grant Candidate Status to Albania. Two further countries are recognised as potential candidates. These are Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.</p><p>The current governments of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine have all publicly expressed an interest in joining the EU.</p><p>The accession process is a lengthy one, involving detailed negotiation of 35 Chapters of the EU Acquis, with candidate countries required to adapt their administrative and institutional infrastructures and bring their national legislation into line with EU legislation in these areas. Financing of the EU and migration will be addressed at several stages in this process, notably in EU Common Positions and related impact assessments by the European Commission on Chapter 2 (Free Movement of Workers), Chapter 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security) and 33 (Financial and Budgetary Provisions). We welcome the emphasis that EU Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Fule, has placed upon economic governance in the enlargement process, which should increase economic convergence between accession countries and the EU and reduce migratory pressures.</p><p>The UK has not produced national impact assessments on EU enlargement in addition to the European Commission's own impact assessments. As part of the Government's review of the balance of competences with the European Union, however, reports are due to be published on enlargement and free movement of persons.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 02/07/2014 14:03:54 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	950 label Biography information for Lord Stoddart of Swindon