To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the Treaty agreed at Amsterdam on 17 June to be signed by Ministers; what ratification procedures are necessary in each Member State; and what is the planned date of the Treaty taking effect. [6480]

We expect the Treaty agreed at the Amsterdam European Council to be signed in October of this year. We expect other Member States to ratify the Treaty in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures. In Denmark the ratification process will include a national referendum. The Treaty will enter into force once it has been ratified by each of the Member States.