E.F.T.A. Calls For Patent Talks

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30761, 27 May 1965, Page 17

E.F.T.A. Calls For Patent Talks

f.V.Z.PA -Reuter—Copyright/

VIENNA, May 25. Ihe European Free Trade Association today called for negotiations with the Common Market for a European convention in a practical move towards easing the economic division of Western Europe.

A communique at the end of a two-day E.F.T.A. summit conference noted that the six Common Market countries have drawn up their own draft patents convention. It urged discussions to turn this into a broad international scheme.

The E.F.T.A. ministers ordered a working group of their officials to prepare proposals on this.

An authoritative source said the approach to the Common Market over patents would be the first of the moves called for yesterday by the British Prime Minister, Mr Wilson, towards bridging the gap between the rival trade groups to avert danger of a trade war. Yesterday the E.F.T.A. ministers decided to seek a ministerial meeting between the seven E.F.T.A. countries and

.the Common Market with the same aim in view.

Britain has already tried unsuccessfully to join a Common Market patents convention.

But the source said, the market was only willing to allow outside countries to be associate members of the convention, which was unacceptable to Britain.