Vol. 197 No. 9
andMr. McQuillan asked the Taoiseach if it is a fact that, in regard to associate membership, facilities designated in the Rome Treaty as not being available to an associate member have in fact been granted to Greece under her recently negotiated associate membership agreement; and, if so, what are the facilities so made available
3.
andMr. McQuillan asked the Taoiseach what are the safeguarding measures permissible under Article 226 of the EEC Treaty under which an associate member is regarded as a full member for the resolution of serious difficulties which might arise in the transitional period of a member state granted associate membership.
With your permission, Sir, I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.
In the first place I should point out that it is not correct to speak of "facilities designated in the Rome Treaty as not being available to an associate member". The only article of the Rome Treaty which refers to association with the Community is Article 238 which is in general terms. As Greece is the only country with which the European Economic Community has so far concluded an agreement of association, it is not possible to generalise on conditions of association.
As indicated in paragraph II of Appendix IV to the White Paper of 30th June, 1961, on the European Economic Community, the agreement for the association of Greece with the Community provides that Greece will be regarded as a full member for purposes of the application of Article 226 of the Rome Treaty. This article envisages that member States may in certain circumstances derogate temporarily from the provisions of the Treaty.
May I ask the Taoiseach, because of the uncertainty of the terms of the association which can be negotiated, whether it is conceivable or possible that one could have access to the European Social Fund, should one want access to it for the purposes of meeting redundancy problems during the transition period as an associate member?
I do not think so.
May I ask the Taoiseach if he would refer to paragraph 101 of the first White Paper issued by the Government in which it is stated that the extent to which this Fund can be used in respect of associate membership cannot yet be predicted? There is no finality, I presume, as to whether or not this Fund can be used by associate members?
I am merely expressing an opinion.
Yes, but there is no finality?
So far as I know, no.
Can we assume, in view of the unlikely possibility of associate membership which can be negotiated between member countries and EEC, we could have access to the European Investment Bank and the European Social Fund if we were to become an associate member?
It is conceivable, but as I said, it is unlikely.
