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CONT LEZENVEDA IN
REGISTRY No. 50
RECORD OF A MEETING BETWEEN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY AND MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONS JUN 1975TEL OF THE TRADES UNION CONGRESS HELD AT THE FÖREICH AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ON THURSIAY 19 JUNE, 1975
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Present:
The Rt Hon James Callaghan MP
Mr T McNally
Mr P J Weston
Mr H R G Hurst
Mr J I Jones MBE, Chairman of the
Mr D Basnett
International Committee
Mr R N Bottini CBE
Lord Briginshaw
Mr T Parry MBE
2
Mr L Murray OBE, General Secretary
of the TUC
Mr JA Hargreaves
Mr M Walsh
1.
Welcoming the TUC representatives, Mr Callaghan referred to the two previous meetings held in July 1974 and February of this year and said that intervals of 5 to 6 months were about right for these periodic meetings. He would like to begin with a general survey.
The EEC
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2. Now that a final decision had been taken, the opportunity presented by British membership should be used to exorcise British influence in a positive way in the institutions of the Community Britain had long been accused of dragging its feet in Europe and it would be wise now to avoid taking up too many defensive positions in the Community. Admittedly, on certain issues we must remain on the defensive, for example in respect of federalism and the structure-making side of the Community. We should move carefully, making it clear that the British people are not yet attuned to federal concepts, but keeping in mind that other members, such as the Dutch and the Italians, are supporters of the federal concept. Our aim should be, therefore, to look for areas in which we can pursue British policy as part of the Community's policy. He had in mind two particular areas. One was raw materials and commodities. He had become increasingly concerned with the activities in the United Nations of the Group of 77 and their call for a new International Economic Order. Individually these countries were
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