France’s Attitude On E.E.C. Upheld

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 16

France’s Attitude On E.E.C. Upheld

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, August 13. A French economist’s view of the advantages of the European Economic Community was given by Mr G. le ban de Ligny to the Auckland Rotary Club today. An authority on international commerce and a professor of research institutes for post-graduate commercial studies, Mr de Ligny has recently lectured in Japan on the effects of the European Common Market.

Replying to newspaper criticism of the “intransigence of France” over Britain's application to join the Common Market, Mr de Ligny said that France was trying to protect herself.

Europe had to have a large market for her manufacturers to lower manufacturing costs “As far as New Zealand is concerned, first you can cry and weep about it,” he said, “but in my opinion what you have to do is to look for new markets. You have a very wealthy country. There are many possibilities. Why do you only want to trade with Europe? “You have many countries in the Pacific to whom you can sell your goods. You have the possibilities of negotiating with them, of making commercial agreements to see that your goods are allowed in.” Mr de Ligny said that most people thought that Britain could only do two things. She could sacrifice her Commonwealth and become another Western European country or she could reject the Common Market and

stick with her Commonwealth as a trade bloc. But they forgot that any agreement between Britain and the Common Market would oblige both partners to make mutual concessions.

It was true that the E.E.C. was not a political organisation but was purely an economic organisation. But one could not be blind to the fact that when it had full integration in the economic field, then integration in the political field would follow. The German Zollverein of 1837 which grew into the united Germany of 1870 proved this. “French industrialists were against the Common Market at first," said Mr de Ligny. They were afraid of it. But after one year they asked for it to be accelerated. It has broken down the frontiers of Europe It is a real economic revolution."

“When we asked Britain to join in 1957, there was no reply,” he said. ’’When we asked her back in 1951, the answer was ‘no’.

"After seeing the benefits of four years’ experience of the European Free Trade Association, the United Kingdom is weakening now. France has to protect herself and her interests.

“We are not against anybody. We are not discriminating against New Zealand. We are first of all for France, then New Zealand or any other country. Surely that is natural.” The Common Market was not created for any new sort of imperialism or colonialism in business. It was created because it was impossible for small European countries to live in small economic units and territories each protected by high customs barriers.