HC Deb 18 February 1976 vol 905 cc1283-5
36. Mr. Peter Morrison

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to meet his EEC colleagues.

38. Mr. Tim Renton

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to meet his EEC colleagues.

45. Mr. Blaker

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next expects to meet the other Foreign Ministers of the EEC.

Mr. Ennals

At a ministerial meeting on political co-operation in Luxembourg on 23rd and 24th February.

Mr. Morrison

When the Minister meets his EEC colleagues, will he raise the subject of the appallingly high unemployment figures which obtain in Britain at the moment? What help does he expect from his EEC colleagues to alleviate the situation?

Mr. Ennals

My right hon. Friend has already referred to this matter publicly and has urged the Commission to make a study of it. There are a number of Community countries whose unemployment problems are substantially more serious than our own. Therefore, it is a common problem within the Community.

Mr. Dalyell

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said that he was not an astrologer. However, do the Government foresee great difficulties about the entry of Greece into the Community? The idea of having to translate all the documents into and out of Greek may be a minor problem, but there is the major problem that Greece is not an industrial society in the same sense as other members of the Community. What is the Government's attitude towards the entry of Greece into the Community?

Mr. Ennals

My right hon. Friend said that he was not an astrologer; he did not say that he was not a linguist. There are problems to be faced. My hon. Friend will know that the Council unanimously pronounced in favour of the Greek application for full membership of the Community. It was right that it should do so. It was agreed that preliminary work should be undertaken rapidly to allow negotiations to be opened as soon as possible. The transition period will have to be considered.

Mr. Renton

In view of the Tindemans Report, will the Minister explain to his EEC colleagues how he expects Britain to move towards economic and monetary union at the same pace as France and Germany? Is it not a bitter comment on the economic mismanagement by this Government that Mr. Tindemans should appear to have relegated Britain to second division status?

Mr. Ennals

The Conservative Government took us out of the snake. I do not think that we need go further on the matter.

Consideration of the Tindemans Report is going on in each of the countries concerned. It will probably be a major issue when the European Council meets on 1st and 2nd April. My right hon. Friend has made it clear that we do not favour the two-tier approach.

Mr. Guy Barnett

When my right hon. Friend next meets his European colleagues, will he inquire how direct elections are to be paid for by the political organisations and by the Government? The Green Paper appears to make no mention whatever of this aspect of the affair.

Mr. Ennals

This is an issue which the political parties will need to study. My right hon. Friend has already conferred with the political parties on some of the problems which will be involved, and they will be looking at the different aspects of financing election campaigns in other Community countries.

Mr. Blaker

The Minister of State will be aware that an approach has recently been made to the European Community by COMECON for a comprehensive trade agreement. Will the Foreign Secretary take this opportunity of considering with his Community colleagues, and subsequently with our American and other allies, what changes we require from the Russians in their political and military practices and activities, particularly overseas, in return for the high technology and grain which Russia requires from the West?

Mr. Ennals

My right hon. Friend will be considering that question. I do not think that the hon. Gentleman will expect me to make a statement without a Question on the Order Paper.

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