reciprocity, though developed countries do not expect developing countries in
these negotiations to make contributions inconsistent with their individual
development, financial and trade needs. But because the US had no authority
to negotiate from Congress until the beginning of 1975, the negotiations only
started at that time, and thereafter the impending US election made it difficult
for the US negotiators to take a clear line. The Council of Ministers of the
EEC only agreed their guidelines for the negotiations in February 1975, and the
recession in world economies generally since that time has not made the climate
propitious for rapid movement.
OUR POLICY OBJECTIVE
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However, with the new US Administration now firmly in the saddle, the
negotiations are likely to accelerate; the Communique issued after the Downing Street Summit on 8 May gave a strong international lead in this matter. It
committed countries who took part in the Summit
"to providing strong political leadership for the global effort to expand
opportunities for trade and to strengthen the open international trading
system. Achievement of these goals is central to world economic prosperity
and the effective resolution of economic problems Policies of protec-
tionism foster unemployment, increase inflation and undermine the welfare
of our peoples
The Tokyo round of multilateral trade negotiations must be pursued vigorously. The continuing economic difficulties make it
even more essential
to negotiate a comprehensive set of agreements
to the maximum benefit of all".
SOME GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
5 The handling of the trade negotiations on behalf of the EEC is a Commission
responsibility. This is both a source of strength (in that the Community commands
more weight than any member country would do on its own) and a source of weakness
(in that it sometimes takes a while to agree a line). The Commission are working
under certain guidelines approved by the Council of Ministers, and they discuss
the position periodically with member states in what is termed the Article 113
Committee in Brussels. All member states make contributions in the formulation
of the Community position.
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