asked the Taoiseach if he has investigated the possibility of entering into bilateral trade agreements with the member-countries of the Common Market.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agreements with Member Countries of Common Market.
1.
I would refer the Deputy to the statement on external trade policies which I made in this House on he 3rd June, 1959, in the course of my reply to the debate on the Estimate for Industry and Commerce (Vol. 175, columns 941-2).
Bilateral trade agreements are already in operation between this country and two of the member-countries of the European Economic Community, namely, Germany and Italy. We have had a trade agreement, negotiated annually, with France, but that agreement expired on the 31st March last and, as I mentioned here in the course of the speech to which I have referred, negotiations which took place with representatives of the French Government failed to provide an acceptable basis for a new agreement.
We have also an agreement with Belgium for the supply of cattle for serum purposes. This, however, is an agreement designed to assist in the control of disease rather than a trade agreement in the ordinary sense.
As to the future, it is the policy of the Government to negotiate trade agreements with member countries of the European Economic Community, and with other countries, when opportunity offers and where it is considered that such agreements would serve the essential interests of this country by assisting the expansion of our total agricultural and industrial exports.
Did the Taoiseach refer to the German agreement?
Yes.
I did not catch what he said. Could he paraphrase it for me?
I said we have bilateral trade agreements with Germany and Italy.
I see.