Mr Muldoon’s task in Europe

Press, 18 March 1977, Page 12

Mr Muldoon’s task in Europe

When Mr Muldoon talks to the European Commission within the next few days, he will be aware that this is a year of crisis for the dairy industry in New Zealand. After this year. New Zealand has no guaranteed access for cheese to Britain. Only the Dublin Declaration of 1975 when Britain renegotiated its terms of entry to the European Economic Community stands in the way of the finai closing of the door on cheese. Mr Muldoon will doubtless press for continued access for cheese beyond 1977 and for access for butter beyond 1980. The declaration left the way open for negotiation. The weakness of New Zealand’s position lies primarily in the fact that it wants the E.E.C. to buy dairy products that the E.E.C. does not want and New Zealand has little to offer the E.E.C. in return for what some members of the Community regard as a distinct favour. Europe retains some sentimental attachment to this country, felt most strongly in Britain where war memories linger, but also in continental Europe, which looks on New Zealand as a transplant of European civilisation. Yet the E.E.C. is likely to view the economic plight of its own farmers as being of greater moment than New Zealand’s needs. From the viewpoint of New Zealand, the Common Agricultural Policy, which is the E.E.C.’s way of coping with its problems, is an absurdity, but it is nevertheless likely to survive indefinitely’.

What New Zealand would like is access for butter, cheese, beef, and lamb on contract. But if one views the Community’s institutional framework, difficulties become apparent. New Zealand, after all, has Protocol 18 in the Treaty of Accession, signed when Britain joined the E.E.C. This gives New Zealand a unique relationship with the E.E.C. Some former colonies of Europe have associate membership and the European Free Trade Association countries are drawing closer to the E.E.C. Otherwise, only Canada has anything comparable in an agreement for economic cooperation, signed last year after four years of hard bargaining. Part of the E.E.C.’s motive was undoubtedly that it wanted supplies of Canada’s uranium. Protocol 18 is likely to serve New Zealand as well as the link that Canada has established will serve Canada. Associate membership does not fit the New Zealand case, partly because the historical relationship is different, partly because of distance, and partly because of the tyne of produce New Zealand has to offer. In spite of the difficulties, the ’ Community has not shown itself completely unfeeling over New Zealand’s position and there is no reason to believe that it will become so. For its part. New Zealand will still need all the diplomatic skills it can muster in dealing with Europe.