§ Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Trade what estimate he has made of the decline of intra-community trade between countries of the EEC in comparison with the export demand gener- 384W ated by these countries as a whole; and if he will make a statement on these movements in relation to each other.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe proportion of intracommunity trade in the total value of exports has fallen from 52½ per cent. in 1973 to 50½ per cent. in 1974. In the first half of 1975 the seasonally unadjusted share was 49 per cent. Community estimates suggest the volume of EEC exports to the rest of the world fell by only about ½ per cent. between the first halves of 1974 and 1975 whereas exports in intra-trade fell by about 13 per cent. These figures reflect the particular course of the present depression in world trade and the growth of demand for manufactured exports in OPEC markets.