§ Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs where in the Treaty of Accession, there is 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.
§ Mr. RipponThe agreement with the European Communities on the treatment of sugar from developing countries covered by the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement is included in Section III of150W Protocol No. 22 to the Act concerning the Conditions of Accession and the Adjustments to the Treaties of the European Communities annexed to the Treaty of Accession to the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community. (Cmnd. 4862-I).
§ Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why there has been a departure from the previous understanding between Great Britain, New Zealand and the Common Market that the unanimity provision should be omitted in relation to the continuity of New Zealand trade in butter beyond 1977.
§ Mr. RipponI would refer my hon. Friend to my answer to the right hon. Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay), on 24th January. The provision for unanimous action in paragraph 2 of Article 5 of Protocol No. 18 to the Act concerning the Conditions of Accession and the Adjustments to the Treaties annexed to the Treaty of Accession relates not to the principle of continuity of exceptional arrangements for New Zealand butter provided for in the Protocol, but solely to the measures to be taken in pursuance of this paragraph—[Vol. 829, c. 940–1.]