The Earl of BESSBOROUGHMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in drawing up a trade and co-operation agreement between the EEC and Canada and what Her Majesty's Government's attitude is towards it.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY of STATE, FOREIGN and COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)My Lords, Her Majesty's Government support the idea of closer links between Canada and the Community. The Council of Ministers is considering the question of an economic and commercial co-operation agreement between Canada and the EEC. Her Majesty's Government are contributing fully to discussions in the Community on the kind of arrangements that would be most useful.
The Earl of BESSBOROUGHMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his Answer, may I ask him whether it is possible to give us a little more information about what is going on? Does he not agree that the proposed agreement, which I for one would greatly welcome, constitutes an important new principle in so far as it will be concluded with a developed country in the Commonwealth, as opposed to those countries needing aid which will be covered by the Lomé Agreements? Am I not also right in saying that this agreement might be somewhat similar to the agreement which the EEC have concluded with Mexico?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, to deal with the second point first, we are well aware of the truth of what the noble Earl has said as to the difference between developed and developing countries in this kind of negotiation. On the first point, I very much regret that because these negotiations are at the discussion stage, where drafts are considered rather than finalised, it is impossible to divulge what are essentially confidential negotiations. On the third point that the noble Earl made, it is much too early to say whether the Canadian agreement, if and when it emerges, will be analagous to the Mexican agreement. The text of the Mexican agreement has been agreed but not yet signed or published; it will be published in due course.
§ Lord LLOYD of KILGERRANMy Lords, may I ask the noble Lord whether there is any difference between Her Majesty's Government and the French Government in their attitudes towards settlement of this arrangement with the Canadian Government?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, I think there is a substantial consensus of approach on this matter among all members of the EEC.
The Earl of SELKIRKMy Lords, can the noble Lord say whether a proposal has been made by the Commission to the Council?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, as I said, the stage at which these discussions are now is exploratory. This has not yet reached the Council of Ministers. I anticipate however, that as a result of discussions in the Council today there may be a decision to set up a working group to deal with the details.
§ Earl COWLEYMy Lords, while I accept the difficulty in which the noble Lord finds himself about giving details of the discussions, could he perhaps give the House some idea of the kind of products to be covered by the proposed Agreement?
§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTSMy Lords, not the specific products. This is rather like discussing a Schedule to a Bill before it has been drafted. Both sides are aiming, of course, at a non-preferential co-operation arrangement between the Community and Canada. The Canadians 1271 have the perfectly legitimate aspiration of diversifying their external relations, as their Prime Minister made clear in a notable speech at the Guildhall in March. For our part, we in this country and the EEC as a whole would wish to do everything we can to assist them in that objective.