HC Deb 27 July 1965 vol 717 c91W
Mr. Webster

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps he proposes to take with regard to Recommendation 123 adopted by the Assembly of the Western European Union that the Council of Ministers invite the member Governments of the Western European Union to pursue actively and in close co-operation the Kennedy round negotiations and to take all other measures to promote trade between the European Free Trade Association and the European Economic Community, to urge that the European Free Trade Association Secretariat be empowered, together with the European Economic Community Commission, to promote co-ordination of the largest possible number of economic and technical measures through the establishment of permanent links between the two organisations, and to extend the new technological and aeronautical co-operation between individual member countries to other European nations.

Mr. Padley

Her Majesty's Government are taking part in the Kennedy Round negotiations in consultation with their trading partners including the European Economic Community. So far as relations between the European Free Trade Association and the Community are concerned, Her Majesty's Government were instrumental in taking the initiative, as a result of which the European Free Trade Association Council are now studying suggestions which might be made to the Community for establishing closer relationships for discussion between the two groups. Her Majesty's Government agree that co-operation in the fields of aeronautics and technology should be established on as wide a basis as possible between European countries, and are seeking to promote this objective.