Community's proposals constituted a specific and moral commitment by the enlarged Community, of which the United Kingdom would be a part. The British Government and other Commonwealth Governments participating regard this offer as a firm assurance of a secure and continuing market in the enlarged Community on fair terms for the quantities of sugar covered by the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement in respect of all its existing developing member countries. The developing Commonwealth countries will continue to plan their future on this basis." In addition, representatives of the Governments concerned stressed the importance of a continuing and viable International Sugar Agreement to all sugar-producing countries.
TRADE RELATIONS WITH DEVELOPING MEMBERS OF THE COMMONWEALTH AND
DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
113. We made it clear in the negotiations that we needed to ensure that trade relations between these countries and the enlarged Community should be safeguarded either by the establishment of association arrangements, comparable with those already accorded to developing countries enjoying similar traditional relations with members of the present Community, or, where this was not appropriate, by alternative solutions.
114. There are various ways in which developing countries are at present associated with the Community. Under the Yaoundé Convention certain African States and the Malagasy Republic enjoy preferential or duty-free access to the markets of the Community, usually in return for preferences which they grant on exports from the Community in their markets; they receive development aid from the European Development Fund; and they participate in a Council of Association. The present Yaoundé Convention expires on 31 January 1975 and the negotiations for its renewal are due to begin in 1973.
115. Other association arrangements providing for mutual rights and obligations, particularly in matters of trade, are also possible. As an example, three Commonwealth African countries, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, already have a form of association under the Arusha Convention, which is similar to the Yaoundé Convention, except that the range of goods covered by the preferential arrangements is more limited, and there is no provision for development aid from the Community.
116. Dependent territories of the existing members of the Community are associated with the Community under Part IV of the Treaty of Rome. The benefits, in trade and aid, enjoyed by countries so associated are broadly the same as those provided under the Yaoundé Convention to independent States associated with the Community.
the
117. The independent Commonwealth countries in Africa, Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific will be able to choose between three options: association under a renewed Yaoundé Convention (the renewed Convention will have to make provision for development aid both to the existing associates and to new associates); some other form of
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