The Press THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1967. New Zealand’s “ Special Case”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31366, 11 May 1967, Page 12

The Press THURSDAY, MAY 11, 1967. New Zealand’s “ Special Case”

It is gratifying to see the understanding of New Zealand’s position revealed in the House of Commons debate this week on Britain’s application to join the European Economic Community. On both sides of the House this understanding was matched by good will towards New Zealand—undiminished, apparently by the unfortunate timing of the New Zealand Government’s decision on the aircraft replacements for the National Airways Corporation. The British negotiators, it need not be doubted, will represent New Zealand’s claims fairly to the Six, and will argue them persuasively. New Zealanders would be deluding themselves, however, if they concluded from this debate that the only terms of entry to the Common Market which Britain would accept would be those acceptable to New Zealand. Britain proposes; Brussels—or Paris—disposes. Mr Wilson described “ three areas in which “a solution to the New Zealand problem might be “ found ”: the association of New Zealand with E.E.C.; the establishment of Moroccan-type protocols; and entry for New Zealand’s major products levy-free or at a reduced levy. Acceptance by the Six of any one of these proposals would, indeed, represent a satisfactory outcome of the negotiations from New Zealand’s point of view.

None of these proposals, however, is at all likely to be accepted by the Six. Apart from the former African dependencies of the Six, which have been associated with the Community since its inception, the only associate members today are Greece and Turkey. Applications from Switzerland, Sweden, Cyprus, and Austria have been under negotiation for several years. There is no precedent for association with a country on the other side of the world which offers only a small market for E.E.C. products and which, moreover, exports in direct competition with European farmers.

The “ Moroccan-type protocols ” mentioned by Mr Wilson refer to the special provisions made for Morocco when the Treaty of Rome was signed in 1957. At France’s insistence, the other signatories excepted much of Morocco’s exports to France from the E.E.C.’s global restrictions, because of Morocco’s traditional dependence on the French market. But this was negotiated before the E.E.C. came into being; Britain’s bargaining position with the Six today bears no comparison with France’s relationship to the Five in 1957. New Zealand cannot reasonably expect the Six' to exempt her exports to Britain from import levies as Moroccan exports to France are exempted. Even if Britain were allowed to pay reduced levies on New Zealand imports, the more serious obstacle of quotas on imports would remain. New Zealand spokesmen have frequently asserted New Zealand’s ability to compete on the British market under the disadvantage of a tariff or levy provided no quantitative restrictions were placed on the trade. But quantitative restrictions are an important element in the E.E.C.’s policy of protecting its own farmers; there is no reason to suppose the E.E.C. would depart from this policy to oblige the country cousin of a Johnny-come-lately. Mr Wilson has, presumably, stated Britain’s initial bargaining position. The Commonwealth Secretary (Mr Bowden) may have more correctly anticipated the outcome of the negotiations when he said: “The Six may refuse to give us the safe- “ guards we seek ”. In these circumstances, he added, “ I am sure rejection or withdrawal will be honour- “ able and understood by the Six and the people of “ this country ”,