To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what status will be accorded to the accession states of the European Union at the forthcoming intergovernmental conference in terms of (a) negotiation rights and (b) voting rights; and if he will make a statement. [116062]

The UK fully supports the conclusions of the Copenhagen European Council, which state that "the new Member States will participate fully in the next Intergovernmental Conference". We understand this to mean they will have the same negotiating rights and voting rights as current member states.