BRITAIN IN EUROPE

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30234, 12 September 1963, Page 7

BRITAIN IN EUROPE

Trade With Market (Special Crspdt. N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, Sept. 10. The Lord Privy Seal, Mr Edward Heath, before leaving London for Stockholm for trade talks of the European Free Trade said the Common Market was “still very much alive as far as Britain was concerned” because it had 20 per cent of its trade with the E.E.C. countries and it was increasing steadily. “We are not entering into negotiations with the Common Market or carrying on discussions with them. “What we are trying to do —and we are going to have a meeting of the Western European Union at the end of October to try to achieve it—is to prevent either the Community or ourselves damaging each other in our trade policies,” he said. Mr Heath was asked whether there was a likelihood of a split in the ministerial meeting because of the attitude adopted by Denmark and Austria which had said Britain must give them better trading terms within the E.F.T.A. and also that they might make their own direct links with the Six. Mr Heath replied there was no split at the E.F.T.A. meeting, or dissatisfaction with the trade terms Britain had offered. He said the breakdown of the Brussels negotiations had posed particular problems for Denmark and Austria—Austria because about 60 per cent of its trade went to the Community and Denmark because something over 5( per cent of its trade was agricultural and a considerable part went to the Community “The two countries have said they are going to discuss with the Community whether there are any ways in which they can deal with these particular problems, but there is no question of a split at this moment,” Mr Heath 'said.