The Press FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 1960. West European Trade

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29239, 24 June 1960, Page 12

The Press FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 1960. West European Trade

A decision on Britain’s future relationship to the European Economic Community cannot be delayed indefinitely. The Macmillan Government is under increasing pressure to adopt a more enterprising policy towards the six nations of the Common Market. Recent negotiations between the Six and the seven countries of the

European Free Trade Association, led by Britain, have shown how difficult it will be to reconcile their present attitudes. Meetings in Paris early this month did not fulfil hopes raised only a few days previously by the prospect of resumed talks between the two trading groups. Britain suggested that it would consider joining the European Coal and Steel Community and Euratom, but no progress was achieved towards reducing the political difficulties of linking the Seven with the economies of the Six. After the Paris meetings London newspapers chided the British Government for its indecision and lack of enterprise. “The “choice", said the “Daily “ Telegraph ”, “ is . . . between “ a complete marital union with “ the Six, with the loss of "independence which that “entails, and acceptance of the “Six as a separate and established entity, with whom we “ would do business, but no “more”. Whether better progress towards a permanent understanding will result from the current talks at The Hague remains to be seen. If Britain stays out of the Common Market the immediate effect on British exports will probably be small. According to

the “Economist” only about 14 per cent, of Britain’s export trade goes to the Six; and “certainly less than a quarter “and possibly less than a tenth “of this small segment . . . “ would be seriously affected by “the tariff discrimination now

“ proposed ”. Opponents of British membership of the Common Market say it would be folly to sacrifice independence for so slight a trading gain. They argue that anything but a strictly business relationship with the Six would harm Commonwealth trade unnecessarily and threaten Britain’s national sovereignty. They claim also that talk of a political split in Europe has been greatly exaggerated. Arguments in favour of British membership of the Common Market include the real fear that Britain may be left out of the new investment boom that already is benefiting the Six. Inevitably Western Europe will be dominated politically and economically by the Six; can Britain afford to be excluded because of its reservations about agricultural products or other matters? The British Government must weigh against possible disadvantages to Commonwealth trade the benefit of closer association with a huge and expanding market—a market which, without Britain’s influence, might become the basis for German domination of Western Europe. The time for any delicate compromise between the Six and the Seven appears to be over; the Seven must now make up their own minds about their own objectives.