Vital details of E.E.C.‘s dairy deal unsettled

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33791, 13 March 1975, Page 1

Vital details of E.E.C.‘s dairy deal unsettled

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, March 12. The European Economic Community’s statement on New Zealand dairy products went some way towards an arrangement that would safeguard this country’s interests, said the Prime Minister (Mr Rowling) this evening.

But considerable detail remained to be settled, he said.

He expected that the guidelines adopted and the recognition of New Zealand’s position that lay behind them held the prospect of a strengthened trading relationship with the Community. The European Commission now had to prepare a report for the Community and the New Zealand Government which would take part in the review of its position, said Mr Rowling. Interpretation New Zealand wanted the general principles of the declaration interpreted in a way that would let it be confident

of a satisfactory outcome from the review.

“We were not just depending on British good-will but would go through all channels to make sure our needs are understood and met by the Community. “I was heartened by the response to our case in the Community countries I recently visited,” Mr Rowling said. Warning given Sir John Marshall — who as Minister of Overseas Trade in the last Government negotiated the original deal for New Zealand — said today that many more detailed terms must be settled before a satisfactory agreement emerged. It should be clearly understood that the original Protocol 18 provided for New Zealand’s butter access to be

extended beyond 1977, he said. “This is not the issue in these negotiations. What now has to be negotiated is the precise quantity of butter, the exact price formula, and the length of the next extension.

“All that the E.E.C. has done at Dublin is to recognise the need for adequate ingoing arrangements and to give some guidelines. This is a satisfactory start but the real negotiations still have to be done — and they must be done by New Zealand, not by Britain,” said Sir John. ’’Disturbing’ The reference in the official communique to 1980 as the term of the next extension was “disturbing” as this would not be long enough. But it was good to see in the communique the reference

to the need for orderly international marketing. “This has been one of the most valuable terms for New Zealand in the Luxemburg agreement,” said Sir John. Dairy Board view The chairman of the Dairy Board (Mr A. L. Friis) said the news from Dublin was encouraging “but my board will need a great deal more information covering the precise terms of entry of our products into Britain and the price basis before we can come to firm conclusions. “We are most appreciate of ithe continuing efforts of the (Prime Minister and his col- , leagues on behalf of the dairy [industry,” he said. Summit report, Page 2.