very bad for the Community's reputation, at home and
abroad. Things have got to change. The Government have
proposed a strict financial guideline to impose an
external budgetary constraint on the CAP which will
force hard decisions (on price and less open-ended
support) to be taken and to be sustained over time.
Our second condition is a lasting solution to the
problem of budgetary imbalances. Quite simply, the
present arrangements result in an unfair distribution
of burdens and benefits in Europe. The Government want
to place an upper limit on the net budgetary burden
which each partner should be expected to bear,
according to their relative prosperity. This time we
are determined to settle the issue for good.
Solutions to these problems would open the way for a
host of important developments, for building a true
community of Europe. Enlargement to include Spain and
Portugal; the completion of the internal market;
greater industrial cooperation across national
frontiers; greater political cooperation and influence
in the world. These are the issues on which Europe
should be concentrating, for its future, and for the
future of Britain.
But time is short. There are European Councils in
March and June which also sees the election of a new
3