asked the Taoiseach whether entry by this country to the EEC will mean participation in a military alliance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Membership of EEC.
2.
The Treaty of Rome does not contain any provisions which require new members on entry to the European Economic Community to join a military alliance.
Does it continue to be the policy of this country that, on entry into the EEC, we should not automatically become members of NATO?
That has never been the policy of this country.
There is no suggestion that we go in for other than material reasons?
Our application for entry into the EEC was made without reservation, and that means without reservation with regard to the economic and political obligations concerned. We will, of course, seek certain transitional arrangements in relation to economic matters. There is nothing whatever about neutrality or about political unity in the Treaty of Rome and in fact, the word "political" does not appear in the Treaty at all but it is obvious that by means of this economic unity it is proposed to advance to a formal political unity. But the formal political unity has not yet been worked out amongst the existing members of the Community.
Does that mean that, so far as we are concerned, we accept generously everything involved in the Treaty of Rome?
We do, yes.