The next E.E.C. talks session now crucial

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32522, 4 February 1971, Page 12

The next E.E.C. talks session now crucial

(By MICHAEL ROBSON, N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent) BRUSSELS, February 3. The effect of the Ministerial negotiating session between Britain and the Common Market held yesterday, must be to make the next meeting on March 16 the most crucial of this series.

It would perhaps be going too far to say that on its outcome will hinge the success of the present British effort to join the Community, but it is clear that a repetition of yesterday’s atmosphere and results would be a serious setback.

The British Minister to Europe (Mr Geoffrey Rippon) apparently came to Brussels with instructions from Mt Heath to show the Six that that United Kingdom was not being “humorous” about suggestions for contributing to the Community budget over the transitional period. This Mr Rippon did. He told the Community the terms offered by Britain were “fait and generous,” as well as “serious and realistic.”

The response of the Six was the same as that expressed by the French President (Mr Georges Pompidou) in Paris two weeks ago—“you must be joking.” The biggest gap between the British and the Community exists on the percentage figure to be set as Britain’s initial contribution to the E.E.C. budget. PROPOSAL

I he British have proposed 3 per cent, or about £3om. Over the five years, this con

tribution would increase at roughly 3 per cent a year to a total of between 13 and 15 per cent. Then three years for “correctives” would follow, after which the British would pay whatever the system demanded under the Treaty of Rome.

The British argue that this would allow time for the “dynamic effects” of membership in the Market to apply, and that if there was a large final “jump,” it could be han died with ease. The Six, on the other hand, want a much higher initial contribution —between 5 and 10 per cent has been men tioned —and a regular progression throughout the five vears without any spectacu [ar jumps.

In yesterday’s meeting, after the Six had reaffirmed this attitude, Mr Rippon apparently dropped his usual easy-going jolly attitude and spoke some harsh words. HIGH PRICE The main trend of his remarks was that the Community was trying to cripple Britain before membership had even begun, and if a high initial price was exacted, the enlarged E.E.C. really would have to perform a rescue operation. Under the British proposal, he said, no member of the club would be hurt and, in fact, all would gain from the first year. If any member of the Six could prove otherwise, the British would be happy to revise their proposals.

Significantly, Mr Rippon also laid emphasis on a speech made by Mr Heath in Paris last May in which he warned that neither the Bri

tish Parliament nor the British people would approve any settlement which was “unfair or unequal.” It is difficult to see how the two sides can narrow the gap in their thinking between now and March 16. Other problems Mr Rippon did urge the Six to give consideration to stepping up the pace of negotiations on other problems—and he did mention New Zealand specifically—but with the French commitment to a “global” approach, just how this could be done is an open question. Instead, there will probably be some feverish activity behind the scenes to try and thrash out a compromise, so that the next Ministerial talks will have some chance of recording real progress. One possibility which is being suggested is that Mr Heath, who is scheduled to give an important speech on the negotiations in London late this month, will point the way to a area where agreement might be reached. There are those who argue that this would be risking a ‘"summit" approach at too early a stage, and Mr Maurice Schumann, the French Foreign Minister, did rule out intervention from a higher level at a press conference after yesterday’s meeting.

It is certain that increased activity at a deputies (civil service) level will follow in the next five weeks, and that the sessions between Britain and the Six in that time will provide important pointers to the critical Ministerial talks in March.