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anti-competitive aspects: but it was unclear how far they would sustain their opposition. Germany and the Benelux countries, by contrast, wanted to write in a number of specific minimm standards. The meeting of the Council could well end in confusion, but equally the United Kingdom could be in a minority of one. It would be essential to explain the government's position publicly. His Department had just

ublished a booklet on employee involvement, and had prepared fact sheets on the government's policies and progress in the secial area. It was also possible to cost certain aspects of

arter in its existing form, for example an 'equitable might eventually cost more than one million jobs.

In discussion it was pointed out that the issue had a high political profile, and a co-ordinated campaign of articles and speeches explaining the government's position would be needed, especially the United Kingdom were isolated at the 30 October

Council. the other hand putting figures on the effects of the Charter was technically difficult and it would first be necessary to are that they were proof against criticism. Ideally, an esong analysis of the effects of the Charter ought to be made on the Community as a whole. There was a major risk of reducing the competitiveness of the Community relative to the outside world, and of burdening the less prosperous Member States) such as Portugal, with excessively expensive conditions. though the Commission constantly referred to the princa o subsidiarity, they tended to ignore it in practice; and to look radical differences between Member States, such as the proportion of workers in trade unions, which would make harmonisation of employment conditions inappropriate. Even so, alongside the best possible public presentation of the governments case, the Government should continue to negotiate within the unity on the basis of the sort of text which was acceptable and should not prematurely decide that there was no chance of making this point of view prevail.

Summing up the discussion, THE PRIME MINISTER said that, at the meeting on 30 October, the Secretary of State for Employment should firmly register our objections to the existing text and should explain the sort of charter which the United Kingdom could accept, without seeking to resolve the deadlock. same time, in conjunction with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, he should consider the most effective publicly presenting the government's point of vi

The Cabinet -

of

Took note, with approval, of the Prime Minister's of its discussion and invited the Secretary of State f Employment to proceed accordingly.

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