Austin Deasy
Ceist:19 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of countries, if any, which have made applications for (a) overall membership of the EC, (b) associated membership and (c) some special trading arrangements.
Written Answers. - EC Membership.
Five countries have applied to become members of the Community. These are Turkey, Austria, Malta, Cyprus and Sweden.
The Community currently has association agreements with Turkey, Malta and Cyprus. As part of its policy of developing closer relations with Central and Eastern Europe, the Community is pledged to establishing association agreements with the countries of the area as certain political and economic conditions are met. Negotiations are in progress with Poland, Hungary and the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic. The Community is also engaged in negotiations with the members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) to create a European economic area, an arrangement with a number of similarities to association.
The Community's trade relations generally are carried on within the framework of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). There is in addition an extensive network of agreements with third countries which is constantly developing. Many of these agreements provide for preferential trade arrangements. Examples include the Lomé IV Agreement and the Community's co-operation agreements with the Mediterranean countries. I am lodging in the Oireachtas Library a table showing the principal trade and association agreements between the Community and third countries.