European Union (Accessions) Bill

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. We have had a good afternoon’s debate, with stimulating and thoughtful contributions from all parts of the House. Let me begin, as I did on Second Reading, by paying heartfelt and genuine tribute to the all-party nature of the consensus abroad in this debate at every stage of the Bill’s passage. I welcome the strong and powerful arguments that we have heard in support of enlargement, and in particular of Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession. It is clear that all Members recognise the important role that enlargement has already played in developing the prosperous and stable Europe in which we live today. Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession will further contribute to political stability and security in our neighbourhood, and create new economic opportunities for British citizens and companies. As we have discussed, it is clear that there are a number of areas in which more work is needed if Romania and Bulgaria are to be ready for European Union membership in 2007. The Commission’s comprehensive monitoring report, which was published in October—it has been the subject of debate already this afternoon—set out a range of issues in the fields of justice and home affairs, agriculture, environment and administrative capacity that require urgent attention. I know that this was a matter of concern to the hon. Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Dodds), and I can assure him and the House that we are working closely with both Governments to help them to implement these outstanding commitments. In recent meetings with both countries’ Europe Ministers, I underlined the importance of tackling the remaining problems. I am pleased to say that both expressed a real commitment to implementing the necessary reforms, and they set out a number of areas where progress is already being made. This Third Reading is an important and historic moment. The Bill may be small, but its impact will be substantial. For 30 million people, European Union accession represents a new dawn and the final step in a difficult journey from dictatorship to democracy. The impact of accession will not, of course, be limited to Romania and Bulgaria; their accession will bring benefits to all of Europe. I know that I speak on behalf of the whole House when I say that the United Kingdom looks forward to welcoming Romania and Bulgaria to the European Union. I commend the Bill to the House.