FOR PRESS. No. 110
COMMlVON MARKET DISCUSSIONS
( Statement by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade,
Mr. J. MoEwen)
The Minister for Trade, Mr. McEwen, today confirmed
press reports that Australia was seeking the right to be present
and to speak during the negotiations between Britain and the
E. E. C. countries at times when matters affecting Australia's
trade interests were under discussion.
" This question," said Mr. McEwen, " is regarded as one
of very great importance by the Australian Government. We
discussed it with Mr. Duncan Sandys the Secretary of State for
Commonwealth Relations, when he was in Australia last July.
The communique which described the talks between Mr. Sandys and
Australian Ministers made it plain that the Australian Government
considered that Australia should be in a position to negotiate
direct on Australia's behalf when details and arrangements
affecting items of Australian trade were being discussed."
The Australian Government, Mr. McEwen explained, felt
that the case for Australia's export industries could not be
put by anybody as well as by Australia. It was not enough to
be consulted from a distance. Australian Ministers believed
it essential that when the discussions in Brussels got on to
wheat or dried fruits, or other commodities which Australia
exported to Britain, then Australia should be inside the
negotiating room, aware of what was going on and in a position
to explain the nature of Australia's trade interests.
Mr. McEwen said that the British Government had readily
agreed that it would, at an appropriate time, raise the question
with the Common Market countries of Australia's participation
in the negotiations. " Of course," said Mr. McEwen, " Australia does not
and cannot claim to take a full part in the negotiations which
concern the conditions of Britain's possible entry into the
Common Market. The sta; tus which Australia seeks, and which
-2-
Britain supports, is one that would give Australian representatives
an appropriate basis to speak on matters that
bear directly on Australian trade interests that stand to
be affected by the possible entry of Britain into the
Common Market." Mr. McEwen said that the Governments of the Six
had been made aware of the views of the Australian Government
on this matter. They would know how strongly the Australian
Government felt about it. They would, he hoped, see advantage.
to themselves as well as to Australia and Britain in having
Australian representatives present when the discussions
concerned arrangements for products involved in Australia's
trade with Britain.
p " Last week," said Mr. McEwen, " Britain raised this
matter of Australian participation at one of the regular
meetings of the senior British and Common Market officials
carrying on the negotiations. It was agreed at this meeting
that the matter would be taken up at the next meeting,
scheduled for February 22nd, of British and Common Market
Ministers," " Australian producers and exporters,"' Mr. McEwen
added, " can be essured that the Austra-, lian Government has
spared no effort to secure the right to be present and to
speak on appropriate occasions during the negotiations in
Brussels. " The A'ustralian Government appreciates the support
being given by Britain to Australia's desires in this matter
but clearly it now rests with the Common Market countries to
decide whether to accede to the reasonable request that has
formally been put forw-rd by Britain on Australia's behalf."
Canberra, 7th February, 1962. 14/ 62 T