Cabinet approves text of accession treaty

The cabinet has approved the text of Malta's EU membership accession treaty, Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami said yesterday.

Speaking after the cabinet meeting, Dr Fenech Adami said ministers had been given until yesterday morning to examine the sections of the treaty which covered areas within their respective portfolios.

Dr Fenech Adami said all that remained were some minor amendments to the treaty which would be made in the coming days.

He said that the treaty included two protocols between the government and the EU: one on abortion and the other on the acquisition of property by foreigners. He said that these protocols bound both the EU and the government.

The drafting of the treaty had begun in November, 2001.

A Maltese version of the treaty is expected to be finalised shortly. The document, which is made up of 4,890 pages, also includes the treaties of the other nine acceding countries, along with the different protocols and declarations annexed to it.

In the event of any acceding country deciding against membership, the part of the treaty relating to it will not be brought into effect.

The treaty largely reflects what was agreed in Copenhagen although some final modifications with no budgetary impact were made.

After the acceding countries approve the text, the European Commission is scheduled to give its position on the draft treaty on Wednesday.