"NO Common Market Without Agriculture"

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28347, 5 August 1957, Page 15

"NO Common Market Without Agriculture"

(Special Correspondent

LONDON, August 2. The Continental attitude to the inclusion of agriculture in the free trade area seems to be hardening, says a special correspondent of the “Financial Times.” He says new doubts have arisen in Europe about Britain’s insistence on agriculture being excluded. The correspondent says the approval of the Common Market Treaty by the Italian Chamber of Deputies means that France, Germany, and Italy—three of six participants—have now pronounced in favour of the project. Ratification by the Benelux countries seems assured, and the treaty should enter into force by the end of the year. The first tariff reductions among the six Powers concerned will thus take place on September 1, 1959. The correspondent says that though progress towards the implementation of the Rome treaty has been rapid, general negotiations on the free trade area will not be resumed until autumn. He adds that the British Government has received assurances that the interest of the six Powers in the free trade area remains unchanged, but judged by pronouncements coming from both official and unofficial sources, the position of the six had been hardening.

France’s Attitude France has already stated that a free trade area without agriculture would be unacceptable, and Denmark and Holland are also certain to demand the inclusion of agriculture. Moreover, there is a strong indication that French and Italian industrialists are beginning to regard the opening of the British market as insufficient

compensation for British access to theirs.

Nothing less than access on equal terms to the markets of the Commonwealth—that is, the ending of Imperial preference—it is now sometimes stated, would be acceptable. The British Government has taken the line from the start that tariff reductions on agricultural imports could not be considered, in view of Britain’s obligations to the Commonwealth.

Continued protection must also be given the home farmer at the same time. Britain is the biggest importer of foodstuffs from Europe and would continue to be so if the free trade area should be negotiated.