Vol. 189 No. 11
andMr. McQuillan asked the Taoiseach whether he has received any undertaking from the British Government or any other source that, in the present or future British negotiations with E.E.C., Ireland's special position in the British food market will be preserved.
7.
andMr. McQuillan asked the Taoiseach whether because of the Government's failure to seek membership of the E.E.C. and its absence from present negotiations concerning the pattern of British trade in the E.E.C. the British food market may be reserved by quota or other arrangement to some other country to the detriment of this country; and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter.
With your permission, Sir, I propose to take Questions Nos. 3, 6 and 7 together, all of which appear to be based on a misconception of the provisions of the Rome Treaty.
The Common Market established by the Rome Treaty embraces all sectors of the economy and extends to agricultural as well as industrial products.
The Treaty, when fully effective, provides for complete freedom of trade between the members of the European Economic Community in respect of industrial products. There is thus no possibility of an acceding member receiving special advantages as regards outlets for industrial products within the Community, and, consequently, neither Britain nor any other acceding country could expect to secure such advantages in return for concessions in the matter of agricultural trade.
As regards agriculture, the Treaty provides for the establishment of a common agricultural policy among the member States. While the broad principles of this policy have been agreed, the method of their implementation has not yet been settled. It is to be assumed, however, that, if Britain (and this would, of course, apply to Ireland also) accedes to the Rome Treaty, it will be on the basis of accepting the common agricultural policy as finally elaborated. This could be expected to lead ultimately to a uniform price and market situation in the new member States as well as in the enlarged Community as a whole. It is necessary to have it understood that developments in this field are still so hypothetical that it is not possible at this stage to speak in terms of concrete arrangements.
