E.E.C. Negotiations “Not Push-Over”

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29956, 18 October 1962, Page 8

E.E.C. Negotiations “Not Push-Over”

(New Zealand Press Association) HASTINGS, October 17. Final negotiations in the European Economic Community were not going to be easy and they were "not going to be a pushover,” said the United Kingdom High Commissioner in New Zealand (Sir Francis Cumming-Bruce) when he opened the Roval Show at Tomoana this afternoon.

■ No one was likely to get ! everything they wanted. I Every country concerned ! would have to face changes. ; and inevitably, there would [ be some changes ahead in > New Zealand. > “It is clear from what the ; Prime Minister and Mr Mar- ! shall have said about their ! reception in Europe.” said ! Sir Francis Cumming-Bruce. ! “that there is a wide meaI sure of understanding in > European capitals of the need > to take special steps to safe- > guard New Zealand's trade. ■ "It would be quite unreali istic, however, to think that > the pattern of New Zealand's I trade with Britain will be ] frozen in the shape of recent | years. That won’t happen, j whether we Join or not,” he ; said. > Sir Francis Cummingi Bruce said he believed New , Zealand's trade in sheep I products might very well ! benefit from British entry 1 into the EXC., but dairy products were more difficult. Unless some new international agreement was made between New Zealand and the other main producers, wore and more butter, and perhaps cheese) was going to be dumped on Britain’s doorstep. Most Effleteut «Qrfer and fair price*," he “must be brought into the world marketing, with the best opportunities for the n»rt efficient producer, whir* is, after all, the New Zealand producer of butter and cheese. "■Rtss can be achieved only by international commodity agreement*. and Britain wants to co-operate with Zeeland in working out agreements in terms to you,” he said. Britain wee seeking to pro-'

tect New Zealand's traditional trade as far as it could, but it would be wishful thinking to suppose that everything would be the same for dairy produce. It was unlikely that New Zealand’s butter exports would be able for all time to flow in the same channels on the same scale as in the past. The British Government would continue to press hard for maximum safeguards, but there were few negotiations which resulted in giving any of the interested parties 100 per cent, of what they wanted

There might be some decline in butter consumption in Britain, and in that caee New Zealand's butter exports might tall below the level of the present New Zealand quota in Britain. Sir Francis CummingBruce was confident that the resourceful New Zealand farmer could successfully and profitably achieve changes of product to suit changing market conditions provided these were spaced over a reasonable period. “N is most unlikely that any, agi eesnent between Britain and the Six wOl be able to spell out everything in secure and dear-cut terms," he said. "But Britain has tried to tfve New Zeeland a fair deal in the past and we shall try to do so in tature.

”1 firmly believe that, in spite of any difficulties and adjustments ahead in the next few years. New Zealand fanning faces a splendid future. "You have the capacity and skill to grow grassland products cheaper than anyone else, and the world will heed them more and mere," said Sir Iksncto Cumming-Bruce.