1. Britain and the European Community
Britain forms EFTA with Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland (1959)
Wants free trade but not common external tariff and agricultural policy
EC members fear being sucked into EFTA.
1961 first application for membership.
Agricultural policy
Relations with Commonwealth
EFTA commitments
Deep suspicion about membership in Britain

2. Britain and the EC
Kennedy strongly endorses British membership in EC as building block of stronger transatlantic relations.
At odds with de Gaulle’s European Europe.
Anglo-American missile accord (1962).
At 1963 press conference, De Gaulle vetoes British accession.
Britain re-applies in 1967
De Gaulle claims Britain has not yet achieved the necessary political and economic transformation

3. Turkey Member of Council of Europe, OEEC, and NATO
1959 Application for Association Agreement.
1960 military coup.
1963 Ankara Agreement.
Recognizes Turkey as a European state
22 year period of tariff reductions leading to Customs Union
Association Council
Joint Parliamentary Committee

4. Community in Flux

5. France and Enlargement
Pompidou as president.
Like de Gaulle, rejects supranationalism, advocated confederal Europe.
Economic decline in France, devaluation of franc. Germany rising economically
Germany’s Ostpolitik
British accession as restraint to Germany.

6. France, Britain, and Germany

7. Hague Summit (1969): Completion, Deepening, Enlargement
Completion: Financing of CAP
1970 Budgetary Agreement
Deepening:
foreign policy cooperation
EPC
Germany seeking EC-wide support for Ostpolitik
coordination of monetary policies
1970 Werner report to achieve EMU in 10 years
Enlargement:

8. First Enlargement
For France, Britain’s unionist position is a source of comfort.
Br. PM: first enter, then sort out differences.
French referendum on enlargement
Denmark, Ireland, Norway also holding referenda. Britain insists not to.

9. International Finance and EMU
1971 Collapse of Bretton Woods System, suspension of dollar convertibility
Germany:
Joint float. Anti-inflationary measures.
France:
Exchange rate stability. Implications for CAP.
European economies slip into recession. Introduction of non-tariff barriers.
1972 Snake in tunnel system. Does not work. Plans for EMU shelved.

10. Oil Crisis, Middle East, and EPC
OPEC embargo. 63% of Europe’s energy needs met by Middle East
Netherlands, Germany want concerted response. Britain and France want to benefit from special relations.
Common position on the Middle East.
Strains transatlantic relations.
US wants coordinated Western response

11. Britain, France, and Germany

12. Britain’s Re-negotiation
ERDF –German opposition
Labor Party wants renegotiation of Britain’s accession agreement.
Britain’s budgetary contribution. France opposes.
Agreement on ERDF and correcting mechanism.
Referendum in Britain on whether to stay in EC.

13. Institutional slump Direct elections to European Parliament
Inefficient Commission
Council meetings regularized.
Reports on Future of European Community
1976 Tindemans Report
Three wise men report