Vol. 272 No. 11
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the representations, if any, made to the Government of Italy because of its decision to introduce an import deposit scheme which will have the effect of reducing Irish exports to Italy; and, if no representations to Italy were made, why.
24.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will propose to the Council of Ministers of the European Community that there should be full consultation within the Community before any unilateral action affecting the trading position of other member states is taken by any member state to safeguard its economic position.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I should like to take Questions Nos. 23 and 24 together.
Articles 108 and 109 of the Treaty of Rome provide for the action to be taken in the Community context to meet a crisis in the balance of payments of a member state. Article 108 allows for Community action in meeting a crisis and Article 109 allows individual member states to take immediate precautionary measures in advance of a concerted approach. In view of the fact that provision is thus made for dealing with such problems in the Community framework, it was not necessary to make representations bilaterally to the Italian Government on their recently announced measures to deal with their balance of payments difficulties. The measures were considered at meetings of the Foreign Affairs and Agricultural Councils of the Community on 7th May. At these meetings Irish Ministers pressed for a concerted approach by all the member states to solve the balance of payments problems facing Italy. In the result, the Commission became seized of the matter under Article 108, authorised Italy to continue the measures for a limited period and will report back to the Council at an early date.
25.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the preparations, if any, being made to protect Irish trade and exports in a situation in which the British Government might seek to remedy its balance of payments deficit by resorting to measures of import control, as the Italian Government has done; and whether discussions have been initiated with the Departments dealing with trade matters.
There is no evidence that the British Government will resort to measures of import control similar to those introduced by the Italian Government. In fact, the British Foreign Secretary so stated at the Council of Foreign Ministers on 7th May. My Department and the other Departments involved are, of course, continually in communication with each other in all matters that might affect our trading interests.
