No.ll

Touring Europe with the National Youth Theatre Clive Sinclair and the 4-chip market leader A chance to settle Britain's EEC budget grievance EUROPE81 A not-so-simple matter of addition and subtraction

Published by the Commission of the Our second report on Northern Ireland, starting opposite, touches on European Communities, 20 Kensington the question of'additionality'. This awkward term has come to mean Palace Gardens, London W8 4QQ. Tel: 01-727 8090 the principle by which funds from the European Community are- or should be- passed on to the intended recipients as extra aid, instead Editor-in-Chief: George Scott Editor: John Greenwood ofbeing pocketed by governments to help meet their own Associate Editor: Denis Thomas commitments in the regions concerned. Design: Lawrence Edwards A committee under the chairmanship ofMme Simone Martin, Printed by Lawrence-Allen Ltd, looking into the special needs of Northern Ireland, has deplored lack Weston-super-Mare, Avon of compliance with the principle of additionality, which it regards as Europe 81 does not necessarily reflect, in all 'the key to genuine economic and social assistance from the particulars, the opinions of the Community Community'. The whole question may surface ifadditional money institutions. Unsigned material may be quoted or reprinted without payment, from the EEC is made available for ta~kling the housing situation in subject to suitable acknowledgement. Northern Ireland, following visits by a group ofMEPs in September. On page 19 this month, we report on theNairobi conference on BelfauOfliu: Windsor House, alternative energy sources, held this summer- a subject on which 9/1 SBedford Street, Belfast BT2 7EG the Community is both active and concerned. Shirley Williams, in an Tel. (0232) 40708 CardiffOffice: 4 Cathedral Road, interview on page 10, reaffirms her belief in the European idea, while CantiffCFI 9SG adding that 'the style ofbureaucracy in the Community is not yet Tel. (0222) 371631 sufficiently adapted to the concept of a citizens' Europe instead of a Edixhvrglc0~t:1 AlvaSueet, Edinbllflb EH2 4PH Europe of governments.' Tel. (031) 225 2058 Our report (page 14) on the success in Europe ofMichael Croft's Associated editions: justly-celebrated National Youth Theatre leads to the thought that EuropeanComiiUIItity, 2100 M Street, NW, Suite 707, Washington DC 20037, USA there might be support for a broader, European enterprise along the Tel. 202 8629500 same lines. There is already a European Youth Orchestra. Perhaps a COiftlfUIItity Repon, 39 Moleswonh Street, European Youth Theatre is not too much to hope for. Dublin 2, Ireland. Tel. 712244 E11rope, 350 Sparks Street, Suite 1110, Ottawa, Ouwio,CanadaKIR 7S8. Tel. (613) 238-6464 30Jcnmd'Ewope, 61 rue des Belles Feuilles, 75782 Paris Cedex 16, France. Tel. 501 58 85 Communita EUJ't~Pea, Via PoU 29, 00187Rome,Italy. Tel. 6789722 EF-4tliJm Gammel Torv 4, Post Box 144, 1004 Copenbqen K, Denmark. Tel14 41401 14 SS 32 EGMaga.nn,Zitdmanusuasse22, 5300Bonn, W.Gmnany Tel. 238041 ComlftllnidadEuropea, Serrano,41-Sa planta Madrid-!, Spain Tel.4741199 EIII'OfXliAi KoiMtit, 2 VassiUssis Sofias, T .K.1602,Atbens 134,Greece Tel. 743 982/3/4 EllitO/orat LunJ~btnlrf, Bltiment Jean Monnet, Luxemboui'J· Kir<:bbera Tel.43011 AortlpaToplulMp,13 BogazSokak Kava.klidere, Ankara, Turkey Te1.27614576 EUROPE81 What next for Northern Ireland?

Inevitably, the present violence inNorthern Ireland they represent the people of Northern Ireland as a colours any observer's view of the problems of the whole. They have established a record of mutual Province as a whole. But-fortunately for its agreement on all but a few minor issues in Europe. depressed and divided people-the European This, says Geoffrey Martin, the Commission's Community is concerned with economic and social man in Belfast, 'is one of the most positive-and issues-not sectarian politics-and is making a indeed remarkable-of the events in Northern significant financial contribution to the region. Ireland in the last few years', in sharp contrast to the In time, economic efforts may indirectly achieve the attitude and behaviour of politicians within the results that have so far eluded the politicians. Province on domestic matters. Ifthat sounds wildly optimistic, then consider the This unity of purpose on European issues is all the three members of the European Parliament who more encouraging because two of the three MEPs­ represent the Province as a single constituency­ Ian Paisley and John Hume-are also leaders of John Hume, John Teylor and Ian Paisley. They each Northern Ireland parties which hold diametrically belong to different political parties in Ulster; but opposite political views within the Province.

urope has already done much for only half that of the Republic of Ireland, it is Northern Ireland. As one of the Com­ neverthelesshigherthaninitaly(3.6percent) munity's five least prosperous regions Its old industries are ailing. and in the UK as a whole (0.1 per cent). Over Eit has received the highest classifica­ Its economy is frail. Its 45 per cent of the population is under 25 years tion in Brussels. Large amounts of aid have people are among the least old. been granted (as reported in the last issue) to Northern Ireland lacks energy resources, encourage investment in the Province and prosperous in the Ten. and as a result pays considerably more for its create new jobs. But can more be done? The ROY STEMMAN, in a energy than other parts of the UK. Again, MEPs believe so. because it is on the extreme periphery of the In November 1979, John Hume tabled a second report, sees a Community and of the UK, the Province has motion for a resolution to the European Par­ glimmer of hope for the to bear the additional cost of transport for its liament on behalf of the Socialist group. This Province-more aid, and a . imports and exports, adding about 10 per cent was referred by the Parliament to the commit­ to prices. High costs, low incomes, rising tee on regional policy and regional planning, new initiative from Europe unemployment and a growing population which appointed Mrs Simone Martin as chair­ have kept the standard of living well below man of a sub-committee set up to study ques­ that ofmost other regions of the Community. tions raised by Mr Hume. John Hume's re­ Less than SO per cent of families in Ulster solution reminded the European Parliament up to the Commission to decide what to do. own a car. About a third of all homes have that the Community's founders had given it These are the facts which emerged. First, central heating, compared with SS per cent in the task of creating, by establishing an econo­ unemployment: the number of people with­ the UK as a whole. And fewer than half the mic community, 'the basis for a broader and out jobs in Northern Ireland by the end of homes are on the telephone. deeper community among people long di­ 1980 represented 16.3 per cent of the working Nowhere is the poor standard of living vided by bloody conflicts', as he called it. He population - a figure that has since risen to more evident than in housing. An official drew attention to the Community's commit­ close on 20 per cent. Unemployment is now survey as long ago as 1974 revealed that 20 per ment to reducing economic imbalance among twice as high as the Community average. cent ofNorthern Ireland's houses were statu­ its members, to the grave economic and social Rural areas in thewestandsouth are the worst torily unfit for human habitation and a further problems of the region, and to the belief that affected, notably aroundNewryandDungan­ 17 .S per cent in urgent need of attention. In the search for peace in Northern Ireland is non. Belfast-as I reported in the October issue - inseparable from the provision of jobs and Earnings for those with jobs in the Province halfthe houses were found to be insanitary. decent living standards. are lower than elsewhere in the UK: currently These deprivations have led many Ulster His resolution then called on the Commis­ about 8 per cent less than the national average men and women to seek a better life elsewhere sion to report on the impact of Community (and 59 per cent of the Community average). in the 'United Kingdom or in other parts ofthe membership on Northern Ireland, to review That means that welfare payments are corres­ Community. They were leaving the Province the outlook for the Province's economy, and pondingly higher than elsewhere in Britain. at the rate of 6,500 a year in the 1960s. r -is to put forward proposals as to how the neces­ As well as being relatively poorly paid, the figure almost tripled by 1975, no doubt d· :to sary resources should be made available to ~ple of the Province also work the longest the civil unrest, then settled at about 12,000. bring the region up to Community average on hours. It has since dropped to about 7 ,500, due in living standards and employment. There are 1 Y2 million people in Northern part to better internal security and the lack of Mrs Martin's subsequent report, and Ireland, some 600,000 of whom form the opportunities elsewhere because of the reces­ another· produced by a second sub­ working population. The number is increas­ sion. The level of emigration is a worrying committee, on social affairs and employment, ing steadily, thanks to a birthrate which is one factor for the Province, since it is concen­ chaired by Mrs Dekker, was unanimously of the highest in Europe. Although the rate of trated on the young and skilled. passed by the European Parliament. It is now Ulster's population increase (5.6 per cent) is Mrs Simone Martin's committee deplored .... 3 EUROPE81 'High CO$tS, low 1ncomes,• r1s1ng• • unemployment and a growing population have ke~t t11e standarCI of living well below that of other regions of the Community'

the fact that European financial aid for pro­ jects in the Province 'is often kept by the Government of the United Kingdom to defray its own expenditure in Northern Ireland in­ stead of being paid over as additional outlay.' The report added that it considered 'com­ pliance with the principle of additionality is the key to genuine economic and social assist­ ance from the Community for Northern Ire­ land'. This question of 'additionality' is one of which everyone in Ulster is aware. Many insist that, in effect, they have had no money from Europe, because the Government has swallowed it up. When Community aid is given to a particular region, it is intended as a form of 'back-up' or supplementary assist­ ance. What happens in practice is that the Government embarks on regional plans (not only in Northern Ireland, of course, but throughout the UK) and then claims financial assistance from the EEC. This money is then paid to the Treasury, and is used to defray some of the regional development costs. The UK government is not alone in operating this way. But the Commission insists that this practice is against the spirit of the Commun­ ity. The people feel their plight is so bad that they ought to receive money from both the Government and the Community, in full. The Government sees things differently. Since 1973, Northern Ireland has benefited to the extent ofaround £200 million from European financial resources. But the contribution made by the British Exchequeur is now run­ ningatabout£1,200millionperannum. Even if the European funds had been additional, Three Northern Ireland MEPs with a Industry, however, is not the only impor­ they would have been a pittance in compari­ record of a~reement in Europe: Ion tant contributor to the economy of the Pro­ son with the scale of aid needed. Who can Paisley (top), John Taylor (above) and vince - there is also agriculture. But major blame us - the Government would say - for John Hume. changes in farming methods have reduced the trying to ease the burden on British taxpayers number of people employed on the land. l n by using the European aid to offset part ofour products falling drastically. As a result, the 1950s, one in five of Northern Ireland's huge financial committment to Northern Ire~ thousands of jobs have been lost. working population were involved in agricul­ land? For example, 24,500 people were em­ ture. Today, it is one in ten. At the heart of Northern Ireland's present ployed in the shipbuilding industry in 1950. This is a result of the trend towards larger economic difficulties is the fact that its indust­ Within 30 years it has shed virtually three­ farms, the reduction in intensive stock farm­ rial tradition dates back to the early 19th quarters: the 1980 figure was 7 ,400. In tradi­ ing, the turning of arable land to pasture, and century, with industries which have since tional textile industries there has been a drop mechanisation. Grass is still the Province's suffered a sharp decline. Shipbuilding and from 65,000 to 18,000 in thirty years.' And one natural resource and farming will con­ flax formed the basis of the local economy at there is every reason to believe that these tinue to be central to the economy. But, right the beginning of this century, but changing figures will continue to decline in the foresee­ now it is facing a critical drop in income. world markets have led to demand for their able future. Government figures show that the net in- 4 Co Down (left) and Co Antrim -awaiting the return of Aid from Europe: a £4,300,000 visitors in search of grant to bolster the tourist trade peace ... and ancestors.

be potential for tourism in Northern Ireland is obvious to lochs. The appeal for American visitors is a genealogical holiday, any visitor. It is roughly the size of Yorkshire, with 300 during which they can trace their ancestral origins. The statistics miles of coastline, 50 forest parks and more than 60 golf show that Northern Ireland is also attracting an increasing number courses. Just over 10 years ago it was receiving a million of Europeans. Ttourists a year, providing £28 million in revenue. Since then the The EEC's decision to give an £11 \12 million grant to regions decline in tourism has devastated many holiday resorts and with tourist potential on both sides of the border caused many businesses. In the late Sixties many ofthe visitors were people to see it as money for 'bandit country'. But the£4,300,000 bucket-and-spade tourists in search ofsun and sand. The which will go to Northern Ireland over a five-year period is not violence and bombings now keep them away- and the numbers confined to a narrow corridor along the 300-mile border. It would in any case have dropped as more and more families stretches from Kilkeel in the south-east to Omagh, Co Tyrone to began going abroad for their holidays. the north-west. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board has changed the emphasis Seven district councils are involved in the tourist scheme. All ofits marketing, to remind the world of the Province's special are currently waiting to hear which of their ideas will receive EEC attractions. 'By good luck, we have better coarse fishing than financial backing. They include the opening-up to the public of anywhere else,' says I an Henderson, the Board's director of impressive caves-favourite haunts ofpotholers- and the creation administration, research and planning. 'And since, on an average of a youth hostel and an arts theatre. Saturday afternoon, there are more people fishing than watching One problem for tourists, however, may be finding a suitable football, that is a very large potential tourist sector.' hotel. Many have been the target of IRA bombs. All five in Newry Lack of pollution is another attraction for many people, have been put out of business, and the hoteliers are not quick to particularly those who like to cruise on Ulster's waterways and rebuild. come offarmers inNorthern Ireland fell by S3 tive, since feedstuffs represent over three­ which means that on average they get an per cent in money terms in 1979 and by a quarters of the cost of production of pigs and additional10pagallon for all milkreceived.ln further 60 per cent in 1980. In real terms the poultry. Ulster, however, only about 20 per cent of fall is even greater- as much as 80 per cent for Dairying, says Ulster Farmers' Union pres· milk is for the 'liquid' market; so the return last year. The overall UK decline in real in­ ident Barney Gilliland, is the cornerstone of for manufacturing milk is supplemented by come in agriculture in 1980 was 24 per cent. Northern Ireland farming. But dairy farmers 20 per cent of20p, which is equivalent to4p a The Ulster Farmers' Union has called on in the Province do not receive the same in­ gallon for all milk produced. ln other words, the Community for special help, particularly come as their British counterparts. This is the milk producer in Northern Ireland gets 6p in supporting the intensive farming sectors of because the Government, recognising that a gallon less than the British dairy farmer. pigs and poultry. They argue that they are at a milk used for dairy products does not bring in The main problem is that the UK Govern­ disadvantage, because the Province can pro­ an adequate return, subsidises it by fixing a ment has to plan and negotiate on the basis of duce only 20 per cent of feedstuffs required higher return for milk sold for liquid con­ an economy that is industrially based, where~ for these animals - the rest have to be im­ sumption. as Northern Ireland is agriculturally based. ported. That adds an extra £12 to£15 a tonne In Britain, where about half the milk pro· Furthermore, in agriculture the overall in­ compared with farmers in Britain. This duced is for drinking, the Milk Marketing terest of tile UK consumer is at variance with makes it impossible for Ulster to be competi- Boards get about 20p a gallon extra for this- the interests of the Northern Ireland farmer. ... 5 EUROPE81

Community workshop at Newry- with the accent on handcrafts.

'Fantastic ... inventive .•• prepared to take chances' -a tribute to the MSC

ne ofthe criticisms ofthe Youth Opportunities Fund has given £65,000 for a year. This sum has been matched by Programme is that, at the end of a work experience theNorthern Ireland Department of the Manpower Services scheme, a young person is likely to go straight back on Commission and by the Co-op itself, to provide the£ 195,000 Othe dole. In Newry, a pilot scheme is running­ required to launch the project. successfully-which is designed to create full-time jobs for Frank Dolaghan, general manager ofthe Co-op, says that youngsters. two-thirds of the youngsters who went through the YOP schemes It has grown from the creation of the Newry and Mourne did find jobs-but seldom in the work for which they had received Co-operative Society, set up five years ago as a local response to the training. need for premises for small businesses. It took over a So the Newry Craft Workshop was set up as a limited company, potato-processing factory, which bad closed with the loss of 130 the Co-op owning 52 per cent of the shares. Three young jobs, and turned it into an industrial estate which now employs instructors from Mournecraft were put in as project managers, around 200 people. each with an ll per cent shareholding. The remainder ofthe One ofits subsidiaries is Mournecraft Ltd, a wholly owned shares have been distributed among the young workers, whose subsidiary, which operates as part ofthe YOP scheme and for talent has earned them full-time employment with the workshop which substantial financial aid is forthcoming from the European at the end of their YOP schemes. Social Fund. It is the biggest single community workshop in the It employs 18 people and has the makings ofa successful Province, with three separate training workshops-at Newry, venture. To some extent the items it produces-jewellery, ceramic Crossmaglen and Rostrevor. Between them they provide training work, porcelain, pottery and leatherwork-are aimed at a revived or work preparation opportunities for 125 young people, tourist trade. But the Newry craftsmen are not waiting for a new concentrating mainly on handicrafts. There are 18 different crafts influx of tourists- they are opening up export markets in the USA being taught, and the workshop is expanding into electronics and and Europe. musical instrument repair. 'The scheme would not have been possible without the EEC However, concern about the lack of job opportunities ofyoung money,' says Frank Dolaghan. 'We have our Manpower Services people once they complete their courses has led the Co-op to create Commission to thank for that. They're fantastic-inventive, the Newry Craft Workshop, a pilot scheme for which the Social prepared to take chances. And it was their idea in the first place.'

<11111 The situation is exacerbated by the fact that 1 Meanwhile, the people of the Province the Province borde.rs on another European Maior changes have await, with their usual good-humour tem­ country, Ireland - the only part of the UK to reduced the number of pered by pessimism, the report which is now do so. Ireland, too, is an agricultural eco­ ~eo_pie employed on being prepared by the Commission. It will not nomy, and able to negotiate with Brussels on 1 be a magic cure-all, but it could provide a new that basis. However , Northern Ireland re­ therand initiative in the search for stability in a desper­ cently gained a notable concession from the ately troubled region. UK Government, when extra money was That is something in which every indi­ agreed to give it parity with the Republic on that they can improve their processing plant. vidual member of the Community - because special agricultural schemes that had been In this way, agriculture can give added value of his or her contribution to the funds which introduced. European money has also been to the products it produces, to help recover have been allocated to Northern Ireland-has made available to farmers in the Province so some ofits financial losses. a vested interest. ll 6 ' • AEUROPE81 ------~~-~ BRITAIN AND THE BUDGET A chance to settle the 'unacceptable situation'

he European Councll will have At the end of November the cent). Alternatively, compensation could be before it the European Commission's financed by a percentage reduction by other proposals arising from the Councll's European Council will have member countries on the monies that they Town mandate of30 May 1980, for an the chance to approve a receive back from the CAP. examination of Community policies, If neither of these suggestions are accept­ following the temporary settlement ofthe programme of social and able, the Commission will later submit 'unacceptable situation' created by the UK budgetary reform designed proposals to extend the existing financial contribution to the Community budget. to reinvigorate the European mechanism to reduce the UK budgetary The Commission's proposals, pubHshed at contribution. the end ofJune, attracted wide publicity. Community in the Eighties Meanwhlle, it is the politicians who will

But the issues are so important to the future '.__- -- --~- have to decide. While no detailed results are ofthe Community that they deserve expected from the summit meeting, the additional attention at this crucial stage. or alternatively the guaranteed price could be Councllhas the opportunity to point the Com­ The nub of the Commission's argument is reduced. This system already operates for munity in a new direction. The public has the for a major shift in resources from agriculture sugar and could be applied to cereals. For right to expect that it will indeed take it, even to industrial rejuvenation;.improved training mllk products the Commission considers that if, because of monies saved under the com­ facilities to combat unemployment; and a the principle of the 'eo-responsibility levy' mon agricultural policy this year, the press­ concentrated effort to help the poorer or de­ should be extended. This is a tax on over­ ures for reform appear to be less urgent than clining regions of the Community. The UK production already being imposed. The pro­ they were. would be a major beneficiary of such a shift. ceeds are used to help pay for the disposal of PEGGYCRANE But even then, with its small agricultural mllk surpluses. sector, it would be at a disadvantage on repay­ While these principles would apply gener­ ments from the CAP through the Farm Fund ally, there would be special income subsidies (EAGGF). for certain small producers, and a special ENORMOUS So the Commission has suggested two ways programme to assist Mediterranean agricul­ in which the UK grievance - that it pays too ture, which hitherto has taken second place to POTENTIAL­ much into the Community budget - can be agricultural development in the north. met. Either proposal requires some sacrifice The Commission considers that money FORTELETEX from the richer members of the Community. saved by stricter financial discipline and qual­ The European Commission has given a But the Commission emphasises that, if the ity control in agriculture should be diverted to contract to a multi-national team of Community is to progress, solidarity and co­ expandingtheworkoftheRegional and Social companies to report on the development of operation must be the keynote. Injustice to Funds. At present, despite increasing de­ · teletexin :Europe-a standard medium one member weakens the whole. mands on them, these attract minimal through which word processors of different Reform of the common agricultural policy budgetary support. Resources from these makes can exchange information. is seen as the major contribution to areinvigo­ Funds should be better concentrated by im­ The British member of the consortium rated Community. The Commission's radical proving co-ordination with national develop­ which has won the Commission's contract is proposals have already drawn fire in the Irish ment plans, particularly in the creation of Langton Information Systems, whose Gra­ and Danish press, where both countries do jobs, and by enlargement of the non-quota ham Taylor says the potential is enormous. Its very well out of the CAP. section of the Regional Fund to enable the implications, for electronic mail and data pro­ The Commission, however, stoutly de­ Community to initiate projects that fall out­ cessing, he says, are not yet recognised. Tele­ fends the way the CAP has worked over the side national commitments, but which are tex services are being set up by the post offices, last 20 years. It has, it says, achieved the important to general Community develop­ or rather PTTs, in Germany, Switzerland and objectivesoftheTreatyofRome-beitsecur­ ment. Sweden, and Britain's should begin next year. ity offood supplies, satisfaction ofconsumers' In the wider perspective, the Commission The aim of the EEC contract is to find out requirements, increased productivity, or sees the European Monetary System as an whether the standards of performance set for higher farm incomes. All this, moreover, at a essential instrument in furthering Commun­ teletex by the Consultative Committee on total cost to the Community ofO.S per cent of ity solidarity. It also believes that there should International Telephones and Telegraphs Community GNP and less than re­ be more encouragement, at Community level, will form a base for office automation, rather nationalisation wouldcostmembercountries. of research and development in new indus­ than just being a super-telex. Also whether But, whlle the principles remain, the Com­ tries, and that member countries should take INSIS, which is the inter-institutional net­ mission is intent on reducing the overall cost greater advantage of the benefits of the com­ work of the EEC, could use teletex and how of agricultural support by a number of sen­ monmarket,notonlyfortradeoutletsbutalso much. And whether the different teletex sys­ sible reforms. These are: for opportunities for pooling resources in tems being developed in European countries D Narrowing the gap between Community technological development. are going to be compatible. prices and world prices. . Within this framework the budget should Apart from Langton, the project team in­ D Adoption of a more positive export policy be regarded as a tool for accomplishing poli­ cludes Logica and CS & P of the UK, Danet designed to stabilise world prices by means of cies, and not of significance in itself. The from Germany, Sema from France, Sobemap co-operation agreements with other expor­ Commission believes that the British problem from Belgium and Teleplan from Sweden. ters. can be accommodated by a budgetary con­ Graham Taylor, the project head, says he will D Limitation of guaranteed farm prices to tribution which would bring UK repayments welcome submissions on the topic from any agreed production quotas. If farmers over­ fromtheCAP(SpercentoftheFarmFund)in interested party, sent to Langton Information produce, theywouldberequiredtopayalevy, linewithitsshareofCommunityGDP(18per Systems at 133 Oxford Street, London Wl. 7 EUROPE81 would be surprised if you have not heard BERRY RITCl llE reports on the British electronics wizard ofCliv e Sinclair. He must be the U K 's most famous contemporary inventor. whose new mini-computer is a runaway bestseller, and on a Iju st about everybody has heard of his French product that brings the briny to the bathroom bargain price mini-computers, even ifth ey have forgotten the rise and fall ofth e Sinclair calculator and don't yet lcnow about the coming of the spectacularly cheap Sinclair Microvision. The 40-year-old Sinclair looks the part of Computers the super-scientist. With his short bristly beard and bald head he is the intellectual's answer to punk rock. He has an IQ ofl59 and for the the self-confidence to go with it. Chairman of the British branch ofM ensa, Sinclair has been quoted as believing intelligence can be mea­ kitchen table sured and quantified. 'Whatever it is that intelligence tests are measuring,' he told the magazine Your Computer, 'it selects people I find a sight easier to get on with than the average.' Ifyou think that suggests a degree of intel­ lectual arrogance, you could be right. On the other hand, you have to admit the man does have something to boast about. His latest project, the Sinclair ZX81, is the second gen­ eration computer. At £69.95 it is £20 cheaper that the original zxso, and as such the final rather than the prototype form. The new computer contains only four microchips, against 22 in the earlier version, and Sinclair says it should be on the market in its present 0 form for a long time. His company is in the process oflaunching an inexpensive printer to go with it. The rest of the hardware comes in the form ofany old TV set and tape recorder. To say the Sin clair computer has succeeded is an understatement: the ZX81 is selling at a The Business Page rate of 25,000 a month. Of these, 5,000 are retailing through W.H.Smith's, the first shops to stock them. And large numbers are tive- the first real pocket machine, and Ofte pliers. But the customers did not forgive his on order from Mitsui, the biggest trading which briefly put Sinclair Radionics on top of calculators. company in Japan. the world market. I am not enough of a tech­ His losses had been compounded by the nological brain myself to understand his debacle of the Sinclair 'black watch', a wildly 'He does have breakthrough, but I gather that what he did ambitious attempt to grab a third of the was work out how to turn a 'chip' on and off world's digital watch market with a space-age­ something to boast without forgetting what it had just been told. looking plastic LED watch priced at £25. At about' This cut the power demand to one-twentieth the time, the company was struggling to pro­ of what was needed before. Like Alice after duce the world's first production TV with a eating the cake, Sinclair's machine was a 2-inch sc.reen. After three years' partnership At the end of September, the members of dwarfamong giants. with theNEB, Sinclairwasoutonhisown. At the Sinclair Users Association crowded West­ Sadly, his lead did not last in face of com· the end of 1978 the NEB had to inject another minister Central Hall in their second rally, a petition from such giants as Texas Instru­ £4.5 million on top of its initial £650,000 fervent mass ofcomputer buffs to whom Clive ments, Philips, and the Japanese. Profits had investment, to mop up losses of nearly £3 Sinclair's name has the kind of charisma of peaked long before, while the LED display million. Adam and the Ants. I nearly wrote 'the Bea­ units had been overtaken and outclassed by tles'; but it is 15 years since their heyday. LCD crystals. Let none, however, take away 'The kind of high That's when Clive Sinclair was first making from Clive Sinclair his 'first'. For a few heady his name, with a spectacular but premature years he had made the world's electronic in­ technology claim that he was going to produce a TV set dustry look slow. investment that with a 2-inch screen for 49 guineas. It was the price war that finally put paid to politicians and civil Sinclair received 3,000 orders at the Earl's the calculator. Prices dropped from £79 for Court Radio Show but the prototype never the original Executive to the absolute bottom servants love to back' went into production. He could not find a of £4.99 for the simple, four-function Cam­ manufacturer for the tube at ~ economic bridge. At the end of 1976, Sinclair had been price. forced to go to the National Enterprise Board The company was on the verge of with­ At that time turnover was £100,000-out of for rescue, after a loss of£35 5,000. Apart from drawing from the mass calculator market, and sales of radio and hi-fi kits. It was to be five the competition, sales of calculators had been having severe problems with the mini-TV. years before he was ready to launch out into affected by a reputation for unreliability. The pocket television was on the market, but the calculator market with the Sin clair Execu- Sinclair put this down to his component sup- it was not selling well enough. In 1979 Clive 8 EUROPE81

DRAWINGS BY MAUAEEN AOfFEY There seems to be almost a conspiracy of silence in British newspapers about The sweet pong imports. Admonitions to buy British reflect the Government's obsession with balancing its own books rather than of success encouraging an unhealthy balance oftrade . However, two-way trade between EEC member countries should still be welcomed, and publicised. Take, for example, the imports into this country of Thalgo Cosmetics. lmportex/ Thalgo was formed two years ago by wife-and­ husband team lngrid and Jean Vilain, on a capital of £100. They now have 85 outlets in the UK for the huge Thalgo range, and have just started selling at Harvey Nichols in Knights bridge. Ifyou haven't heard ofThalgo, it is a range of medical and cosmetic products based on seaweed, although it has expanded over the years to use all kinds of plant extracts and animal proteins. Alain Dogliani, the firm's French manag­ ing director, says his company is not in the decorative side of the cosmetics business but the scientific. It is obviously important to realise this, as apparently some of Thalgo's products are pretty overpowering. For exam­ ple, Dogliani says that, when taking a seaweed bath,itiswisetosuckaPolomintorchewgum to mask the smell. From the sound of it, it might be better to stick the gum up the nose.

Sinclair left, with £10,000 as a golden hand­ improved Microvision, this time a colour set manufactured under contract by Timex in shake. He promptly started up Sinclair Re­ with a tiny Oat screen. It was unveiled last Dundee, creating 1,000 jobs by 1985. The search. He was certain, he said, that he had February, when Sinclair revealed it was to be first phase, he says, is on target for production learned from his previous mistakes. to begin some time next year, though he is The zxso and ZX81 prove he was right. Like careful not to commit himself or Timex to a his original calculator, the ZX81 is a leap ahead date. of its worldwide competitors, in both size and Including FM radio, the pocket TV is ex­ price. Its detractors say it is more of an educa­ pected to come out ata price ofonly about£50, tional toy than a serious business adjunct, but which is obviously cheap enough to guarantee that is almost certainly sour grapes. In any vast sales. The initial projection is for a million case, Sinclair's ability to appreciate what the sets in the first year, with a workforce of250. marketplace needs next probably absorbed Halfthe money for the five years ofresearch the fact that education is, by definition, the that he has put into his latest attempt at prior need- he has already spoken out against microvision has come from Sinclair himself, the BBC's selection of a rival micro computer and the other halffrom the National Research for use in conjuction with its planned compu­ Development Corporation. And half the £5 ter education programmes. Part of his case is million that the Timex operation will even­ that it would be nice ifBritain bought British; tually cost is also coming from the Govern­ but even he cannot deny he is partial to his own ment, with a proportion originating from the product. European Commission in the form ofregional This time round, Sinclair seems to have grants. It is the kind of high technology in­ succeeded in making sure that the subcon­ vestment that politicians and civil servants tractors' quality controls are topnotch, while alike love to back. the computer itself is tough enough to have Sinclair himself is already talking guarded­ coffee poured over the keyboard and survive. ly about another of his pet projects- an elec­ At the same time, he anticipates that his lead tric car. Once again he is hinting at the kind of will be whittled away by his competitors once breakthrough that the establishment says is again, sooner or later. By then, though, he will impossible - a whole new concept, from the be on to something else. driveshaft to the engine. Judging by his re­ The something else is, of course, the new, Clive Sinclair: chips with everything. cord for innovation, I wouldn't discount it. (I 9 --- ··-... --EUROPE81 BRITAIN AND THE COMMUNITY 1There is much persuading to be done ••• '

'One simply has to say to such people that they have not caught up SHIRLEY WILLIAMS, former Labour with change. It's just not that kind of world now. It is not even a world minister and now a founder-member of the ofnation states in any serious sense. We are all profoundly interdepen­ Social Democratic Party, gives her candid dent. The nuclear weapon respects no frontiers. The same is true of environmental and resource problems. In a world ofsuper-powers and views on the task facing believers in a continents it makes no sense to stand aside as a little island. united Europe. Interview by 'Sowhileldon'tdenythatithasbeenofbenefittobeanisland-itstill is some benefit-it has drawbacks in terms of people not realising how Frank Entwisle far their futures are dependent on the futures of others. I suppose the second world war was a good example. We could have stood aside. In hortly after noon on Friday, 4 May 1979, British listeners the end I think we would have been overwhelmed.' and TV viewers heard the snap announcement that Does the indifference ofthe British, I asked, have any counterpart in Shirley Vme11 Brittain Williams, Labour, had lost her Europe? And how worried are our partners about British attitudes? Parliamentary constituency at Hertford and Stevenage. 'It does have a counterpart. My impression is that the younger SFor a moment, following the General Election, there was continentals are much less European-minded. In countries like Ger­ speculation that Shirley Williams, holder of high office since 1966, many and France there is less excitement about the European idea - would quit the political arena. probably because they don't remember where it started from. I mean, Such forecasts misjudged her. Shortly she would reappear as the the whole notion that this put two world wars to rest doesn't register joint leader of a new party committed to the survival of the European with people who don't know what the name Hitler means. Community and to the re-establishment of its prestige in Europe's 'Yes-I think Britain does worry our fellow-Europeans. They think offshore archipelago. Britain has been insular and difficult. But most would admit France I put it to her that, although the British could sometimes be inspired has been pretty difficult as well. It is not just insularity. Britain and by great causes, they had-since the referendum-become bored with the European experiment. It had not stirred the blood. They seemed 'Our fellow-Europeans think unable to identify with this great development. Was it, I asked, a dangerous episode in the British story? Britain has been 1nsular and She believes it was. The European Parliament, she confessed, has difficult. But most would admit never seemed a great reality in Britain. The links between Euro-MPs and the British people have never seemed as strong as with their MPs at that France has been pretty Westminster. The Community has not been well put over. Too many difficult as well' people in the European movement have thought that, once past the referendum, they had nothing else to do. So afterwards, they lost their case. In Britain, neither Government nor Opposition has credited the France have been late imperial countries engaged in the recognition­ Community with achievements that might prove popular, such as the within one generation - that they were both now medium-sized Regional Fund. Labour does not wish the Community to get credit. European powers rather than great world powers. That produces great Government does not want to be embarrassed by being asked for its psychological difficulties.' own share of public expenditure. Mrs Williams told me: I suggested that the Continental mind seemed to accommodate itself 'AndofcourseitishardtoarguethecasefortheCommonAgricultu­ more readily to a bureaucratic dominance that was resisted, even ral Policy as it now stands. Many think of the Community as being ridiculed, by the British. Was that not a special factor in Britain's overwhelmingly to do with agriculture, and therefore a great deal more relationship with the Community machine? responsible for putting up the price offood than it actually is. 'Yes. But there was a different bureaucratic tradition in, say, 'Britain is not basically an agricultural society. So the very small Denmark than there was in Italy, let alone Spain and Greece. As one number offarmers- the beneficiaries-are not a sufficiently large body moves north, so the tradition of the bureaucrat as the voice of the state to influence opinion. There is much persuading to be done.' begins to be replaced by the concept of the bureaucrat as the servant of But how? the citizen. I have found among German bureaucrats a greater willing­ 'Well, it would do no harm to have a couple of political parties at ness to admit they might be wrong than I think I would have found Westminster to argue the European case more loudly ... the fair case, previously. In Ireland one finds bureaucrats very unbureaucratic. examining good points as well as bad. That's what the SDP and the 'I think we have got a problem. The style of bureaucracy in the Liberals are all about.' Shirley Williams added: Community is not yet sufficiently adapted to the concept of a citizen's 'More people in the other parties who believe we should stay in must Europe instead of a Europe of the patrie, or even a Europe of govern­ speak up loud and clear. The employment implications of leaving ments.' Europe are colossal. We've got to show what the price of sudden Shirley Williams professes an international outlook beyond withdrawal would be. It would be very high.' Europeanism, yet she is still the unmistakable product of an old­ I asked what part she thought the island complex - historical fashioned and very English radicalism. And she believes no differences insularity, ancient suspicion of involvement with any continental ofnational character can impede the evolution of her kind of Europe. system- played in Britain's apparent European reluctance. Britain, 'The differences between individuals are greater than the differ· some believed, had prospered at times of independence from Europe ences between races. There are quiet, patient Frenchmen and noisy and suffered with involvement. contentious Frenchmen - noisy, contentious Englishmen and quiet, 10' EUROPE81

territorial reference point still has a pull. One can see that, as the new information revolution and the new technologies develop, many in­ 'lt is hard to dustries will not survive if they look for markets on a national scale. argue the case They have to think in European terms. for the CAP as 'We have seen that with aerospace. We couldn't have had a success­ ful Airbus unless we had thought in terms ofEur opean manufacture as it now stands' well as European sales. The same goes for information technology, where in my view we are losing to the Americans and Japanese because we haven't got together to save our computer and data-processing industries. We'd better do it fast. There ain't much time left. 'It's the same with bio-technology. There we could find ourselves second in another crucial field. In environmental pollution and theatre nuclear weapons there has to be a European position, or we'll aU go to the wall. We live an illusion if we think that the voice of Britain or Germany or France will be very significant in twenty years.' Shirley Williams was reared in a home where the ideal of shared humanity was assumed. 'There was affection and pride for our country reserved Englishmen. I don't think it really stands up, the national in terms of its history, literature and countryside. But my European stereotype picture. Though there are ways in which history fashions idealism is an offshoot of my internationalism - of which I think the way people think. Europe is one of the few concrete expressions so far.' 'But I have German and French friends with whom I think and feel Meanwhile, she says, 'Europe has a formidable task in winning the closer than to some of the Britons I know. Many of the national enthusiasm and understanding of its own electorate, especially in attirudesyourefertodatefromapre-EuropeanCommunitytime. That Britain. The Community is very good at providing facts and informa­ will change further. tion for intellectuals, professionals and journalists. But it has quite a lot 'Nation states are no longer as relevant as they were, though the to learn about communicating with ordinary people.' nil

er durables, and other physical assets, accounted for more than CHEER UP- £360 billion (gross). Britain's liabilities totted up to £66 billion-in other words, every man, woman and child in the UK theoretically owes more than £1,000. Of this, two-thirds would be loans for BRITAIN IS NOT QUITE house purchase. What sort of money do the British earn? Average manual gross BOTTOM OF THE TABLE! weekly earnings in October 1980 were £113.06 for men and £68. 4{) for women. As for savings, in recent years we appear to have been able to put aside a little more, despite increases in the cost of living. cording to a new publication from Lloyd's Bank the UK The ratio of personal savings to money-in-the-pocket after tax rose is now about 4 per cent poorer than the average for the in the UKfrom 7 to9percentatthe beginning ofth e Seventies to 12 European Community.Thi s is in terms oflivin g standards to 15 percent for the period 1974 onwards. A- defined as private and general government consumption Food, drink and tobacco accounr for just over a quarter of per head. And it puts Britain roughly on a par with j apan, some personal spending. Housing, fuel and light take up a steady one­ way below the United States and the Scandinavian countries. fifth; personal transport, 13 per cent; clothing and footwear, 7 per Analysed on an equal purchasing-power basis, with the Com­ cent. Consumer durables, furniture, carpets and other household munity average at 100, national living standards in the EEC goods account for 8 per cent of total spending. countries (less Greece) are as follows: The British, it seems, are stiU largely a nation of shopkeepers, with over 10 per cent of the 26.4 million workforce employed in the 121 distributive trades- which are now the largest employers oflabour in the country. c 111 111 m 108 102 It appears that the British are fast becoming a nation of house­ z Ci) ., m 96 owners. In 1979 there were 20.9 million households with an average ~ m m z of 2.7 people in each, compared with 18.3 million households, ::u c averaging2.9 people in each,in 1971. ~ 3: 0~ 6 z 79 > m c ~ The proportion ofhousing occupied by owners has risen to 55 per z ~ m cent; 32 per cent is rented from local authorities and other public " ~ JJ ~ c 62 bodies and 13 per cent is privately rented. Over half of all dwelJjngs ~ z2S ~ have central heating, and only about 6 per cent lack sole use of a g Ci) bathroom or inside lavatory. As for taxes, Britain occupies a position well down the European table, with 34 per cent of GNP. This compares with 52 per cent in ~ Sweden,47 percentinBelgiumand theNetherlands,41 percent in France, 37 per cent in Germany, and 33 per cent in Italy. And oil? North Sea oil, it seems, is contributing an average of one-half per cent a year to the rate of growth of real GNP over the Households' net weal thin the UK wasestimatedat£522 billion at period 1975 to 1985 as production builds up. the end ofl979, and is considerably higher today, partly because of inflation. £222 billion of it was tied up in pension funds, bank and 0 An Economic Profile ofBri tain, 1981. A Lloyds Bank Group building society deposits and stocks and shares. Housing, consum- publication.

11 ~UROPE81 Nuts and bolts at the London summit

he European Council meeting in occasions when tempers have flared, political London this month marks both the JOHN PALMER, European threats have been issued, and combative post­ high point of the six-month British Editor ofthe Guardian, sets ures struck. 1iPresidency ofthe European·Commun­ the scene for this month's These were particularly evident in the long ity and an attempt by the ten heads of state dispute over the level ofBritain's EEC budget and government· and the President of the European Council meeting contributions, a subject which dominated a EEC Commission to plot the future of the at Lancaster House series of European Councils in 1979 and 1980. Community for the next few highly charged The nadir was probably reached at the Dublin months. The tone and the conclusions of -the high point of summit of December 1979, when tempers the summit discussions on the central issue Britain's six months in were frayed after Mrs Thatcher refused all of the so-called May Mandate should the presidential chair offers of a budget deal, where Chancellor indicate what chances there are for early Schmidt pounded the table, and where Presi- agreement on the reform of the Common dent Giscard at one time ostentatiously re­ Market's policies and finances. fused to take further part in the proceedings. The idea of the summit is not to take de­ national government more sensitive to any Euro-summits have inevitably become tailed decisions on this or that aspect of the perceived threat to a national economic in­ massive media circuses- only rivalled by the EEC budget or the Common Agricultural terest, and a certain loss of political will to put western summits, which involve the United Policy. At this exalted level political leaders some collective goal before sectoral concerns. States, Canada and Japan as well. At a typical rarely like getting their hands soiled with At the same time the European Council has European Council there are more than 1000 messy detail, which they prefer to depute to found itself dealing with matters it is not journalists from the written press, radio and the Council of Ministers or their officials. properly equipped to handle (in part because television. They have to exist during the two­ Rather, they aim to achieve a meeting of each head of state or government is meant to day meetings on a thin diet ofhard news and a minds on the political framework within keep the number of official advisors to a mini­ rich diet of (invariably officially inspired) which - it is hoped - the nuts and bolts of mum), thanks to the failure of more 'junior' rumours. policy decisions can subsequently be screwed ministerial councils. All too often, some Some EEC leaders are quite unscrupulous into place. policy wrangle in agriculture or fishing has about using press leaks and 'off the record' That, at any rate is the theory. It was very defied solution by the appropriate Council of comments as part and parcel of their psycho­ much the approach which inspired the origin­ Ministers, only to be passed to the most senior logical warfare tactics in Community dis­ al proposal for the European Council, adv­ Council of(Foreign) Ministers. But they, too, putes. Contrary to the theology of'European­ anced by the then French President, Giscard have often lacked the political clout in their ism', the media are often manipulated in a d'Estaing, in 1973. The notion was that the own governments to settle for some com­ palpably nationalist sense by politicians play­ four-monthly summits would be occasions for promise which would risk bitter domestic ing to the gallery of domestic public opinion. tranquil reflection on the longer-term issues criticism. So the buck gets passed to the presi­ This has been particularly true over fishing. facing the Common Market, both internally dents and prime ministers. Summitry is not always in deadly earnest, and vis avis the world outside. To this day the and some of the older and more experienced European Council, as an institution, has no IJhe European Council hands - such as Helmut Schmidt - affect at 'official' status in the European Community times a world-weariness with the way in which or the Treaty of Rome. has found itself other leaders take themselves so seriously. The practical experience of eight years of dealing with maffers it In the past year there has been growing Euro-summitry has been very different. The is not properly realisation that too much time has been taken government leaders have rarely found time at up with the minutiae of EEC affairs and too their gatherings for discussions of long-term equipped to handle' little considering such major issues such as strategy, free from the pressure of detailed •••~-=~-~=:=!'===:=:w unemployment and the deterioratinginterna­ decision-making and equally free from the • w ;;w; .

MICHAELO'KENNEDY Member ofthe Commission and Delegate ofthe President with special responsibility for the Mandate.

TALKING POINT The Community needs to The appearance of a report by the European Commission setting out new guidelines for the conduct of the Community's regional policy be relaunched- hence coincides with the publication of a study of how Community citizens in different regions view the lives the Mandate Report they lead. This study-as reported In EUROPE · 81, October issue-highlights not only the gaps in prosperity between various regions but also, The Commission's ~port on the Mandate' is a unique and equally Important, people's document. It outlines far-reaching reforms and changes in the perceptions of these gaps. whole range ofCommunity policy-in agriculture, lt also reveals a disquieting employment, regional development, energy, industrial­ reluctance on the part of some of innovation -and provides a blueprint for Community action our better-Off citizens to help those less fortunate in other member in the 1980s. states, a reluctance they do not display so readily in relation to But it does more. It attempts to put munity 25 years ago. The Mandate Re­ helping people in their own rightanumberofpoints ofcontention­ port provides the opportunity to resolve country. particularly the question of Britain's damaging conflicts and to achieve com­ contribution to the Community Budget mitment to a new range of policies If Community solidarity is to mean -which are threatening to undermine which face up to the problems of the anything, this attitude must change. To a large extent, those the progress which the European Com­ 1980s. countries and regions which are munity has made. wealthier have become so thanks The preparation of the Mandate Re­ to the existence of the Community port has been the major task ofthe first 'The Mandate Report provides the and the new markets it has opened months of the present Commission. opportunity to resolve damaging up, many of them in the poorer While~ewill be bringing forward more· conflicts and to achieve regions. detailed proposals on the different sub­ commitment to anew range of An earlier Commissioner jects covered in the Report the focus of policies which face up to the responsible for regional policy, attention is now on the response which problems ofthe 1980s.' George Thomson, once remarked the European Council, the Council of that the problems of a poor region Ministers and the Parliament will can quite easily become the make. Intensive discussions and nego­ problems of a richer one simply tiations have started and the issues If this is to occur, however, govern­ because people forced to raised in the Mandate Report will be ments will have to take firm and abandon their homes in regions the priority European concem of all courageous decisions. The Community like the West of Ireland or the Member States in the months ahead. has been damaged too often in the past South of Italy will inevitably drift towards already overcrowded Much is at stake. The Community by inflexibility and rigidity in the de­ urban centres, frequently in needs to berelaunched. Europe needs to fence ofwhat are often minor interests. another member state. . be carried forward towards the fulfil­ The proposals in the Mandate docu­ ment ofthe aims ofthose peace makers mentare interrelated; they form part of If this trend is to be reversed, there~ and visionaries who set up the Com- an overall whole. We need to reach

NOVEMBER1981 (i) . EUROFORJ]M ll llf !!Ill THE MONTH IN EUROPE

Agriculture ity's farming food processing and· fiis., ·f\mds which are paid to exporters to tribution sectors, it is not surprising compensate them for losses incurred that the odd irregularity occurs. when world prices are below those Record amount Accordingtothereportontheoperation obtaining on the Community market. of the guidance section which has just The Commission's ideas are likely to spent for been approved by the European Com­ be discussed by the Council in the com­ modernisation mission:, there .were 13 cases of irregu­ ing months in the context of its review larities 'llD.~vered in 1980, involving of the 'Mandate' report which outlines £57,000. Ofthis amount, £15,000 have . ways ofaltering expenditure under the Aid from the guidance section of sofar been recovered. Community's budget, two-thirds of the Community's Farm Fund, Since 1971, irregularities amount­ which is currently consumed by agri­ which helps finance the ing to £1.3 million have come to light. cultural supports. modernisation ofthe agri-food Of this sum, arQund £1 million have industry, reached the record level been recovered, £59,000 have had to be of£375millionlastyear. written off and efforts are. still being . made to recover the outstanding sums. The guidance section, which was allocated 10 percentofthe total fund in Wine, poultry 1980 - the rest was devoted· to the guarantee section which supports agri­ wars.maygo cultural prices - works in two ways, before Court either indirectly by reimbursing part of Export policy outlined the money invested by member states in modernisation, or by making direct by Commission The first stage oflegal proceedings subsidies to projects. has been taken by the European The largest single amount of. ;o:ionE!y Conunission against France and · went to schemesforthe improvement of •· A.d~tailed pi~ which would give the United Kingdom for alleged marketing and processing offood, a tot­ the Community a more systematic breaches ofthe Treaty ofRome's al of almost £103 million; The second agricultural export policy has been· provisions covering free trade. most important item was almost £52 presented by the European million for farm improvements in poor Commission to the Councll of The case against France involves the mountain and hill areas. . Ministers. , blocking of large quantities of Italian A further £51 million was allocated wine which have been refused entry at to farm modernisation in other areas, It is based on the idea of the conclu­ the port of sete because the French and £48 million to part-finance· pre­ sion with third countries of:framework government declared that accompany­ miums for the non-marketing of milk agreements for the multi-annualaupp. ing documents were not in order. and the conversion of dairy herds in an ly ofagricultural products, an idea that. In the British case, the Commission attempt to· reduce the milk surplus. was canvassed earlier this year in the is not happy with a decision by the UK Special measures to help Meditem!l­ Commission's so-.called 'Mandate' re­ government to ban imports.of poultry nean areas of France and Italy to face port on reform of the Community because offears of fowl pest. The Com­ increasing competition for their pro­ finances. mission believes that the action is dis­ duce were financed for the first time to The Commission points out that criminatory. the tune of£65 million. many food importing countries, parti­ In both instances the governments With this amount of· money being cularly those in. the Third World, need have been asked to outline in writing invested to streamline the Commun-- greater Security of supply, whereas at the reasons for their action. Ifthe Com­ the moment the Community's export mission is not satisfied, it can then policy is operated on a year-to-year move on tothesecondstageoftheproce­ basis and depends on what produce is dure, the issuing ofa reasoned opinion. available once the home market has Ifthe governments still fail to comply, continued from previous page been supplied. . .. the cases can be taken before the Euro­ Such a policy 1Xlearl$ that thE!re is no pean Court ofJustice. must be a greater display of. coritinuityto ensure a corisistent export Community solidarity. The policy, Community exporters cannot forthcoming discusston in the make firm tradearrangementsandfind Council of Ministers on the it difficult to compete with food expor­ 'mandate' report of the Commission, which comes out ters in other countries who have the Employment strongly in favour of more . backingoftheirgovernments'watema~ spending in the regions, is an Ideal tic export policies, and it is difficUlt to No consolation for opportunity to show that the optimize the timing, volume and na­ political win existsto.helpour ture ofexport sales. poorer regions. But that political Of equal importance, the Commis­ jobless will must exist at grassroots as well sion believes that a more systematic as at ministerial level. approach could reduce. the amount of Although tbenumberoutofwork money currently spent on export re- in the Community has continued to'""

(ii) 1 EURO FORUJ.Il[ I' y •• rise since the first oil crisis in veloping countries to give the Euro­ 1973-74, the number of people in Shortage of funds pean industry time to modernise and work has also been rising. For the first~e since it was set up diversify production. In its report, the in 1975, the '-fUmmunity's Stabex Commission calls on member govern­ This paradoxical situation emerges system which compensates ments to help textile companies by giv­ from figures which have just been re­ developing ~untries in the ACP ing theni easier access to investment (African, Canbbean, Pacific) funds and by encouraging wider use of leased by Eurosta.t, the publication of group for loSfil of export earnings the Community's Statistical Office, on a schedule of key products, has modem technology in the industry. which show that the activity rate-the found itself short of funds to meet ratio of the working population to the current demands. Transfers to total population rose from 42.3 per cent ACP countries hit by slumps in -in1970to42.9percentin1980. commodity plices or by natural The growth resulted largely from an disasters ag~eed recently were, at The Regions increase in the number of women at £82 million, j1;1st over haH of the work, which rose from 27.5 per cent of £154 million needed. Report gives top the female population at the beginning European ~mmltment ofthedecadeto30.7percentattheend. CommissiorlJ President Gaston priority to new jobs There was a decline in the number of Thorn has been awarded the jobs in industry during the decade and annual Umberto Biancamano anincreaseintheservicessector.Atthe prize for his political and cultural New guidelines and priorities for endof1980, 54.4 per cent were engaged commitment to Europe. Atthe the Community's regional policy in services, 37.6 per cent in industry prize-gMnQ,Ithe President have been c;lrawn up by the reminded h1~ audience that 'the European Commission. The and 8 percent in agriculture. Treaty of Rome did not merely The unemployment rate at the end of establish acbmmon market-a Regional Fund last year spent July this yea:c was 8.1 per cent, com­ purely com~ercial concept-but a morethan£600million. pared with 7.7 per cent in June. This Community,- a human concept­ represents an increase of 400,000 to a and that cultural exchanges The Commission has concluded that total of8.9 million out ofwork. are ..• a key aspect of European absolute priority must be given to unity.' creating productive jobs. Emphasis must be given to providing labour­ intensive industries using modem THE NEWS technologies in the poorer regions. Industry The Commission also calls on the IN BRIEF poorer regions to harness their own de­ Nuclear prOgress velopment potential, since in the cur­ More production of The world's nuclear energy rent economic climate they cannot rely production capacity increased by purely on investment by large firms textiles called for 11 per cent last year and from outside the region. The latent accounted for 8 per cent of total capacities of small businesses, craft in­ Greater productivity, even ifit power, according to the dustries, rural tourism and environ­ means the loss ofmore jobs, is the lntemation~l Atomic Energy mental resources must all be exploited Agency.~~ Agency, which key to the survival ofthe expects the. nuclear component to towards this end. Community's textiles industry, rise to 13 ~r cent by the end of this However, with only limited funds to accm:-dingtothe European decade, alsp pointed out in its tackle increasingly serious problems, Commissioninanewreportonthe annual rePQrtthat there had not regional development policies will be state ofthe industry. been a single death or serious ineffective unless resources are more injury due to radiation since the narrowly targeted, the Commission The Commission says that Commun­ first nuclearr reactor came into says. ity spending in regions where textiles operation a1quarter of a century Assistance under the section of the have been a traditional mainstay of ago. 1 Regional Fund that is shared out on the employment must be stepped up to Envoy named basis of national quotas (currently 95 offset the effects offurther job losses. The new American representative per cent) should be even more heavily It warns that current Regional and to the Community is MrGeorge concentrated in regions suffering most Social Fund spending on job creation Vest, formerly deputy secretary of from structural underdevelopment. and retraining schemes for redundant state for European affairs. He The Commission suggests that a textile workers only covers between 25 replaces MrThomas Enders. much higher proportion of the Fund's ' per cent and 30 per cent of present Aid for lrar1 resources should be channelled into the needs. The Community is contributing 'non-quota' section, which currently re­ The publication of the Commission £60,000totle Red Cross"to help ceives only 5 per cent of the Fund's report coincides with the opening in victims of the recent earthquake in endowment. Geneva of negotiations for the renewal the Kerman region of Iran. lt is also The first four special programmes ofthe Multifibres Arrangement (MFA) sending £120,000to combat eligible for aid under the non-quota sec­ which governs international trade in storm damage on the island of St. tionhavejustbeenapproved. Twoofthe textiles through a system of voluntary Vincent. Ai~ already announced of programmes will help improve the eco­ 100 tonnes of milk ~derfor import quotas. Angolan re~gees 1n Zambia is to nomic and social situation in the border The Community's negotiating team be boosted by additional funds of areas between the Republic of Ireland 1 inGenevaisseekingcurbsonimportsof £265,000. I and Northern Ireland. The other two cheap textile products from certain de- are in France and in the Italian Mezzo- •

(iii) ., with £5 million for fishery protection, / Transport / from Comrnunity£Unds. Eurocontrol to help giomo. The Fund .Greece to modernise will contri· Finance bute £56 million Eurocontrol, the body within , .to 'them over the whichmostCo:mmunitymember next five years. Neithera·borrower nor states cooperate in matters ofair The idea of the non* alendQrbe? navigation, is to help with the / quota section is to give more modernisation.ofairtrafftc control / flexibilitytoColmnunityfinanc­ services in the Community's / ing in the regions. Another means Community loans designed to newest member state, Greece. to achieve the same end, says the re­ bridgethepro81;)8ritygapbetween. port, would be toensurebetteruse ofall thericher,and po-Grmomember Greece has indicated its intentiol1 to Community funds, social, regional, states reached arecord£2.6 billion join Eurocontrol, bringing the number agricultural etc. and theircoordiriation lastyear,anincreaseofalm.osta · of contracting parti~ to eight; The with national financing. There should quarteronctheleveloflendhigthe other members are France, the F'ederal .be more integrated operations ittwhi~h previous year. · Republic·· of Germany, the Benelux several Community andnationalfunds countrieS, the United Kingdom and are harnessed in a combined attack on The loans.are from the Euri>pean In· · Ireland. . complex regional problems. Two such vestment :Sank, the European Coal and Eurocontrol will advise the Greek operations, in Naples and Belfast, have Steel Community, the New Commun­ authorities on procurement and pro­ already been launched. jty ~nt r<>rtoli f~ty') and vide operational a.hd technical support Euratom. Their role in improVing the for the commissioning of the new con­ economic ~cture of poorer regions is trol systems, which will help European in addition to non_,.repayable gran~ airspace users flying to and from fromotherinstrulneritsofwealthredis· Greece and countries further to the Prospect tribution such as the Regional and east. FannFund.S. . . The Community ··uses its· standing, Date set for Green·. due mainly to the guarantees it can land·s Yes· or ·No· offer and its financial capacity, to raise money on international capital .mar­ Social affairs kets on thebest terms for on-lending, Greenlanderswill go to the poDs on for industrial, infrastructural and, in­ February 23 next to vote in a ~i,ngly,ep.ergy develoJ)ment. Migrants and women referendum which 'Willdecidetheir The growth in its lendirig, from future Within the Community. The around £218 millionin 1970, indicates get fund aid datewasann~ced bytheDBDish the im.portl:lnt · role .it. has to play tn goYe:rmnentlastmontb. recycling eapital from· countries with The 8econd instalment this year of balance of paymenta surpluses and in non-repayable grants from the Greenland joined the Community in promotingpriorityinvestm.ents such as Commuuity's Social Fund, which 1973 following a two-t,o;.one majority energy in the :Cottununity. · · were announced by the European in the Danish referendum in favour of The main source cbf funds was the Commission iD August, are devoted the terms of accession. However, the European Investment Bank, .which tQtheneed& ofwomenandmigrimt island's vote was 70 per cent against · lent£1.92 billion to :the lee&-prosperous workers.• · membership. · · regions for such things as energy re­ The £10.3 million are divided almost Since May, 1979, Greenland h8s en* search and development, small and equally between thetwogroupsinsixof joyed home rule fo:r domestic .. policy medium-si~ed i;ndustries,. ~lecom­ the ten mem~r states but it goes no­ under the Danish crown. The govern­ munieations and transport, water where near meeting the demands· of ment party Siumut, which holds 13 of supply and irrigation. member state governments and agen­ the 21 seats in the Parliament in God­ The European Coal and. Steel 0Pll1· cies onbe~ofthesetwogroups; . thaab, faYours withdrawal fro:qt. the munity lent jUst over £60 billion to de­ This year, requests for assistance Community, whiletheoppositionparty velop thoae two industries; .the New from the fund for migrants are five Atasutwants Greenland to stay in. Community Instrument lent£117 mil- times the amount of £17.7 million At present, theSiumutparty~one · . lion to reduce regio;nal disparities and· which is.available·and, in the case of member of the European Parliament, to promote the Community's energy women, three times the £18 million set Mr Finn.Linge. In the Council ot'Minis­ .POlicy, and Euratom, the EutQpean aside. ters, Greenland's interests, maiJ::!].y Atomic. Energy CQrnmunity, lent just· · A Commission spokesman pointed to fishing and tP,e exploitation· of terri· over £106 million t6 help firiance the thediscrepancy between these requests torial waters~are represented by the buildingofnuclearpowerstations. · and theactionofBudget Ministersdur· Danish government. . In. addition, .to these $ums• almost. . ingtheirCo'!lllcil meetiM ijlstJuly held Sincethe50,000Greenlandersjoined £236 million were prOvided in interest todiSCU$Stheshapeofnextyear'sCom­ the Community in 1973 they have re­ subsidies on certain loans which had munity budget which wouldmeanacut ceived almost £35 million in regional, the effect of reducing the interest rate in the J.'8al re$0utCEl$ of the Social Fund social and agricultural aid, together by three ~rcentage pcints. fo1'19S2~ ·

(iv) ~ "<"'~ ' ~ ~ • - • - c~-. =•~'"""'~~ ,..,.,.~."""'"'~~ _,_ ,,..,.,...,., ~-""' "·-~~-- -- ~'"""'--uw.;;., "'""--=-·~-~·"~ EUROFORUMMMMMRMc======~

The fund, which helps finance the were also more favourable. There was The intention is that it will embrace training of workers, has £568 million also more optimism on the level of the entire case law of the Court, at its disposal this year, representing orders on hand. together with selected decisions of only around 4.6 per cent of the total With export order books also a little courts in thememberstates,since 1953. Community budget. fuller, and with greater expectations of It will be available through national higher selling prices, the European sales offices, starting early next year. Commission, which publishes the sur­ vey, believes that a more positive trend is establishing itself. Emergency Aid The improvement in the business cli­ mate is evident in all member states Food for Poland: -except Italy and Ireland. progress report

More than half of the food aid which the Community undertook Trade to send to Poland at the request of the Warsaw government earlier this year had been delivered by .GSP: Commission mid·Augustwhen the last calls for improvements stocktaking was made. Industry Of the 835,000 tonnes of cereals Commission Communication on promised, 400,000 tonnes had been del­ l:inprovements to the generalized the structure and prospects of the ivered; 60,000 out of 100,000 tonnes of system of preferences (GSP), under European Automobile industry. beef,40,000outof50,000tonnesofmilk which the Community admits This study contains a detailed products, andhalfofthe 100,000tonnes industrial and agricultural exports analysis of the present situation of sugar designated to relieve Polish of Third World countries to its and problems associated with the food shortages had been sent. marketseitherduty-freeorata industry. However, Community officials who reduced rate ofduty, have been Ref: SEC (81) 821 met in mid-August found that there proposed by the European had been some delays in the deliveries Commission. Loans Report on the Borrowing and of certain products and charged a Lending Activities of the watchdog team with speeding up proce­ It is now up to the Council of Minis­ Community. dures and reporting back this month on ters to agree to the Commission's prop­ Ref:COM(81)419 the functioning of the relief program­ osals, which would see an across-the-­ me. board increase next year in the value of Social Policy industrial goods the Community is pre­ The Social Policy of the European pared to accept, and in the agricultural Community. sector, the inclusion of new products This booklet describes the origins, and reduction of the duty on some ex­ progress made and the future of The Economy isting ones. • social policy In the European The Community has been applying CommunitY. Businessmen the system since 1971. The list of coun­ Ref: European documentation No. tries eligible to benefit now includes 3181 show more 123 states- the entire membership of Tll19 European Community and the the so.;.called 'Group of 77' developing Voluntary Qrganisatlons: confidence countries plus China - and 24 depen­ lnfoimatlon about grants and dent countries or territories. policy formation, compiled by Business is looking up inmost Over the past decade, both the value Judith Unell. member states, according to the and the volume of the trade covered by A booklet drawing on the Community's latest business thesystemhasincreasedsteadily, more experience of the National Council than doubling from a level ofjust over of Voluntary Organisations in surveywbichmonitorsfrommonth advising such organisations on tomonthhowindustryviewsthe £1.8 billion in 1971 to £4.7 billion last year. approaChes to Brussels. From the state ofthe economy. NCVOoffice, 26 Bedford Square, London WC1 B 3HU, price £1.00. The business climate indicator in­ creased by three percentage points in Regional July, the last month surveyed. Thi$ The European Regional Fund: finding adds still further to the evi­ Sixth Annual Report. dence of a recovery first noted in April On the record In this report the Commission and which brings the indicator back up describes how the Community's Reglonai Policy evolved in 191!0 to the level ofl2 months earlier. The European Court ofJustice, and analyses the objectives of the A look at the key components of the which is the final arbiter of Regional Fund. indicator shows that production ex­ Community law, is shortly to begin Ref: COM(81 )370. pectations rose by five percentage publication ofa digest of points, while assessment ofstock levels Community law.

(V) r-

EUROFORUM EUROPE AND YOU

the car manufacturers themselves must shoulder the main burden of re­ Signposts for the sponsibility for implementing changes, it recognises too that the car industry needs a suitable economic environment in which to carry out the required in­ Community's car vestment. Here the Commission has a definite role to play. It plans four broad types of industry measures. Firstly, steps must be taken to strengthen the internal Community car market. The remaining diverg­ ences between the Ten on taxation and In major industrial societies, the health ofthe car industry has in the energy field must be ironed out, traditionally served as a barometer for the state ofthe economy the Commission feels. Again, the wide differences in tax as a whole. In the United States, it has long been axiomatic that systems between the member states when Detroit sneezes, America catches a cold'. leads to an excessive national compart­ mentalisation of the Community mar­ The automobile industry is a major Commission itself must take to meet ket. This must be ended to enable the user of raw materials - steel, rubber, this challenge. industry to establish a strong base in a glass and plastics-and a key employer. The Commission is convinced that large home market. In Europe, more than two million peo­ theEuropeancarindustrymusthold its The Commission wants its efforts to ple (5.4 per cent of the total workforce) own in a market increasingly characte­ harmonise value added tax (VAT) and are directly employed in the car indus­ rised by the competitiveness of the fuel taxes to be accompanied by nation­ try and, for every job provided by the Japanese industry and its unparalleled almeasuresintheTenbringingratesof carmakers themselves, roughly two sales drive, the new-found ambitions of vehicle road tax closer together. Such more are created earlier in the produc­ a restructuring American industry and measures should aim to encourage tion chain. the emergence of first-time competi­ energy savings and should not have a The crisis currently aftlicting tors, some in the Third World, who are negative effect on car sales in the Com­ Europe's car industry, which faces fall­ eager to expand their export trade. munity. ingdomesticdemandandanincreasein Tomaintainitscompetitiveedge, the Legislation concerningthecarindus­ aggressive competition from its major Europeancarindustrymustreorganise · try must be adapted to fit the economic, rivals in the US, Japan and elsewhere, .. its commercial and industrial base and technological and energy situation in demands fundamental rethinking modernise and streamline its produc­ the Ten. An approach must be worked which the industry can no longer delay. tion lines. out that simultaneously takes account The European Commission recently It must also exploit and further de­ of the safety, environmental and ener­ published a comprehensive report on velop the technological lead that it gy conservation requirements. the state ofthe Community's car indus­ holdsoveritsrivalsand takealeaffrom Innovation in the industry must be try, outlining the scope ofthe problems its competitors' book by improving its encouraged, with special emphasis on it faces and the measures that the in­ sales and distribution networks. joint research and development pro­ dustry, the member states and the Although the Commission feels that jectsrun by the manufacturers, the uni­ versities and the public authorities. The Commission also suggests drawing up an inventory of research projects, studies and pilot schemes on car compo­ nents currently being undertaken by technical research centres to broaden the_ spread of information and limit wasteful duplication. In addition, the Commission intends to promote structural development in the car industry. The principal mea­ sures under this heading will be firm application of Community competition rules to ensure free and fair trading between European car firms, and the introduction of a system of post moni­ toring of state aids to the industry to check any subsidies simply designed to prop up uneconomic industries or to act as a hidden protectionist barrier to trad~ .

(vi) ~~=·.==··~~,------~iEITTI&OFOR~Ir------~,~·•tr•.~--~,~1

Future Community aid to the indus­ agreements between car manufactur­ lished by the European Commission on try will have to comply with criteria ers in different countries is also a trend relations with the NGOs, the past five aimed at improving productivity, to be encouraged, the Commission says. years have also shown that this co­ particularlybyrationalisingthemanu­ Recent years have seen a sharp in­ operation has been 'amply justified by facture of components, stimulating crease in the number of cooperation the efficient and flexible' approach of technological change and introducing agreements, with the Honda-British theNGOs involvedindevelopmentpro­ automation. Leyland, Nissan-Alfa Romeo links and jects. As independent organisations As regards employment, the Com­ the joint deals between West and East with on-the-spot experience they can mission recognises that improved pro­ European manufacturers being among react speedily to economic or political ductivity and recourse to wider auto­ the most noteworthy examples. changes and adapt their working mation will mean further job losses, But the Commission, while favour­ methods to suit. and it intends to collect and evaluate ing such international links, urges that It is not always easy for governmen­ data on the consequences of both on the repercussions ofjoint deals also be tal and non-governmental organisa­ employment, job qualifications and taken into account and that all the be­ tions to work together- independence working conditions. neficiaries of such agreements should has to be respected, but so do the needs Finally, the Commission will play an share equally in the burdens. of public accountability. The rela­ active role in talks with the Commun­ The Commission report will form the tionship has to be one of trust and re­ ity's trading partners in an attempt to basis for discussions on the future ofthe spect for the other's point of view, and seek an international solution to the European car industry in the coming has involved continuous dialogue. growing problem of imports. It aim.S to months. As the report points out, the best conclude voluntary restraint agree­ Talks will be held with other Com­ evidence of this positive spirit of ments with major importing countries, munity institutions, governments, pro­ co-operation can be found in the NGO and to improve and stabilise trade by fessional and trade union organisations response to the funds allocated for increased trade flows in components, and with the Community's major trad­ micro-projects in developing countries. equipment and technology. ing partners in a bid to put the indstury Each year requests have by far out­ The development of cooperation on a firm footing. stripped the available funds, though these have increased in successive years. In 1976, 76 projects (out of 121 sub­ mitted) were eo-financed from a budget of£1,350,000. In 1980,181 projects (out Making good use of grass roots of 367) were eo-financed out of a £7lf2 million budget. By the end of 1980, a total of 693 projects had been eo­ knowledge financed with 124 NGOs and over 300 NGOs had contacted the Commission in the context ofthe programme. One Belgian charityishelpingto improve a clinic for Projects can be eo-financed in any developing country, whether it is handicapped refugees in the Sudan, and another is buildin~ a associated with the Community or not. bridge over the K.afubu river in Zaire. An Italian organisation is Over the past five years, just over half working with local people in Ecuador to set up a co-operative, fit the total funds allocated went to out a dispensary, and improve the status ofwomen, while Africa, with the other half more or less another is establishing a cultural centre in Bolivia. An Irish equally divided between Asia and Latin America. group working in Tanzania has a project for training village India came top of the list ofbenefici­ people in poultry-raisingtechniques. A German group in ary countries with 68 projects, followed Tunisia is employeq in a project to encourage beekeeping. by Senegal and Upper Volta. The NGOs have always stressed the AFrenchassociationneedshelpwith industry in Bangladesh. importance of their role as opinion­ training and rehabilitating juvenile A hundred and ninety-five ideas like formers, and in recent years the Com­ delinquents in Senegal. Another needs theae, often small in scale but full of mission has assisted in development continuing support for the construction potential, have been suggested by peo­ education projects aiming to make and equipping of a brickworks in ple with grassroots knowledge of local European public opinion aware of the Mauritania. A British charity is parti­ needs and conditions in the Third interdependence of our economies with cipating in Nicaragua's campaign World, and have secured financial those of developing countries. In 1980, against illiteracy. assistance from the European Com­ 14 projects of this kind were eo­ A group from Luxembourg is in­ munityin the past year. financed. volved in constructing and equipping In its five years of co-operation with Contacts in this field of work have an agricultural and stock-breeding Europeannon-governmentalorganisa­ spread from traditional development training centre in Tanzania, and a Dan­ tions(NGOs),theCommunityhascome NGOs to include interest groups like ish group is setting up combined pump to place increasing value on this oppor­ trade unions, farming organisations, and forge workshops in Zimbabwe. tunity to support co-operation not just youth groups, consumer associations In yet another field, a Dutch orga­ between governments but also on an and women's organisations. The Com­ nisation is helping to set up a fishing unofficial level between ordinary peo­ munity has found a growing awareness co-operative in the Kerala region of ple in Europe and ordinary people in among groups like these of the need to India, and another group is involved developing countries. include a Third World dimension in in developing a local pharmaceutical According to a report recently pub- theirwork. [I

(vii) • !iA!, iW>e w ,,.,, ...... "'""····.. EUROFORUM EUROPEAN REVIEW

Special help for Atit&June session, the being exatnined by the European the European Commission European Parliament approved Colnlnission to see how they can disclosed in reply to a recent migrant children by 144 votes to 30, with 22 be brought more into line with European Parliament question. abstentions, a report calling on one another.lt expects to Belgium, the Federal Republic Legislation which provides for all member states to abolish the ·complete thework next year. ofGermany, Greece and special education for death penalty. There are. a number of Luxembourg have signed but not schoolchildren who move from disparities between different yet ratified the Agreement, onememberstatetoanother has nationallegislations dealing whose aim is to ensure more nowc:Omeintoforce. A Ensuring that layers with copyright, particularly the uniform protection fur au pairs Communitydirectivewas arenotkeptin duration of protection. The throughout Europe. adoptedinJuly1977,and layers increasing trade between member states were given four member states in books and years to incorporate it into their Fewer find ways Animal lovers will be glad to other works is one ofa number of national legislation. reasons why the Commission to save Fromnowon,eachmember hearoftherecent European Commission proposal to ensure feels that more uniform Community citizens seen to be state's educational system must protection is desirable. lesswilling-orable-atthe help immigrant children better conditions for laying hens in battery cages. moment to put something by for a integrate by providing special rainy day, according to figures c~. particul8rlyin the Ofthe226millionlayinghens just released by Epargne Europe, language oftheir new country, in the Community, around 80per How some surplus while at the same time helping cent 8f8 kept in cages. While food is used up which represents savings banks the children to keep up their they eriable the Community to at Community level. ·produce 15percentofthewodd's AlthoughinMay1981, the native language. Thereisalso The extent to which surplus food mostrecentmonthforwhich provision for special teacher eggs, they are frequently ismadeavailabletosomeofthe rewarded by being kept in figures.have become available, training. more needy sections of the deposits were up by a healthy Forthepastfi'V'eyears, the overcrowded conditions. Only community was revealed by the European Commission has been Denmark has legal regulations European Commission recently £590 million over the financingaseriesofpilotstates concerning minimum Standards, in reply to a written question corresponding period last year, and since 1974 the Community's · although the United Kingdom fro:in the European Parliament. other savers were even keener to Social Fund has been providing go'V'erninent has produced In 1979andlastyear,126,000 withdraw their money. funds to help provide special guidelines. tons offruit, vegetables, beefand teacher training courses and the The Commission has now butter were sold at below-market News for like. proposed that each hen should prices with aid frOm Community job-seekers While the new law applies only have a minimum cage space of funds to charitable and social to children who are Community 500 square centimetres. While institutions, hospitals, old In the May edition ofEuroforum nationals, member states have theeconomieoptimumis j*)Ple's homes, school$, :holiday an article appeared entitled undertaken not to discriminate regarded as being between 400 Ca:mpsand prisons. 'Opening up new frontiers for against children from third and 430 sq cm, cage space of ail However, not all member jobless.' The Manpower Services countries. In all, it is estimated little as 320 sq cm is not states f;ake advantage to the Commissionhasdrawnour that about two million children uncommon. saxneextentofthevarious attention to the fact that peOple are involved. The Co:rnmislilion settled on its Community provisions which who wish to register as a minimum standardof500 sq cm make this type ofcheap food jobseekerin another member per hen after consulting distribution possible. state should not apply directly to More move to .· scientists, consumer interests, . Ofthe 50,000 tons ofbutter the Manpower Services abolish death producers, vets, animal welfare sold in this way, a full halfwas Commission, overseas placing and other experts. It is asking the taken up by German consumers. unit in Sheffield, as advised in penalty Council ofMinisters to agree The Italians were alone in the article, but to their nearest ·that~ proposed legislation making cheap beefavailable. Jobcentresoremploymentoffice. The balance within the should come into effect in 1983 The Italians also accounted for Thls applies also to employers Community on the controversial andthatfrot11 that date all new all but a few ofthe cut-price seeking overseas workers. • subjectofthedeathpenalty cages should have a minimum tomatoes and peaches, and all Although a wide range of appears to be altering following size of1600 sq cm. the mandarines and oranges. occupations are included in the the decision of the French, The Commission has already Other produce covered bythe SEDOC system, the register Belgian and Irish cabinets in introduced measures to protect Community regulations are consists mainly ofdescriptions of favour ofabolition. animals while in transport and to cauliflowers, pears, apples and jobs which are most frequently The Federal Republic of ensure more humane lemons. Governments base their sought and are available in the Germany, LUXembourg and slaughtering methods. This decisions to make the cut-price member states. Denmark have already abolished . latest move represents its first food available on the level of Our enthusiasm for the 'new it. While it is no longer applied in attempt to introduce better stocks and other market frontiers for the jobless' may peacetime or for civil crimes in standardS infarm rearing, and conditions. have given the impression that the United Kingdom, Italy and . some research workhasalready cornpletelyfree movement of the Netherlands, it has been started into the operations workers already applies to and continued to exist in comn1on law ofintensive pig and Calf units. from Greece. Thiswillnotbethe in some European countries. Some aupairs not case until January, 1988; The last guillotining in France so equal meanwhile, certain transitional was carried out in 1976and the @to become more limitations are in force. lastexecutionfor a civil crime in Uniform? Only three COmmunity member Interested persons should Belgium was as far backas 1918. states ha'V'e ratified the Council consulttheirnearestJobcentre In Ireland the last hanging was The laws ofcopyright in the ofEurope'sEuropeanAgreement or employment office fur further in 1954 and in Greece 1972. different member states are on the emplOYJI1ent ofau pairs, details.

(viii) EUROPE81

JOYCE QUINN, Member of the European Parliament for South Tyne and Wear

have chosen Brussels as the the goats. In another document it seemed to be suggested that location for this Notebook the only use for potatoes was for extracting starch ... but partly as a personal protest perhaps someone in the Community might actually think of Iat the European ea ling potatoes one of these days. Parliament's failure to come The Agriculture Committee of the Parliament has also down firmly in favour of that spawned a Fishing Working Group. Having fishing interests in city as its permanent home, my own North-East England constituency, I was pleased to be and partly because the able to become a member of this. Besides commenting on a wide meetings of the Parliament in range ofCommission documents on fishing, the group has also Brussels are much less well produced on its own initiative reports on many aspects vital to reported than those ofour the proper functioning of any Community fishing policy-for plenary sessions held in example, the proper enforcement and surveillance measures Strasbourg, which are necessary for any policy to be implemented and to be seen by the nevertheless just as, ifnot fishermen to be fair. more, important. The Fishing Working Group has also organised a public It is in Brussels rather than hearing, to which were invited fishermen from the various in Strasbourg that our committee meetings are held. Brussels is fishing regions of the Community. They were given a chance to usually the place where the political groups meet; and it is express their views and talk about their problems, at a time Brussels where contacts with the Commission are most frequent. when, in most countries, their industry is very hard-pressed. My own committee's main job is to produce opinions on the The European Parliament is really the only democratically various Commission proposals relating to the day-to-day elected body capable, through its various subject committees, of workings of the Common Agricultural Policy. Since agriculture adequately supervising the Commission's activities and its host constitutes the only comprehensive European policy, oflegislative proposals. National legislatures, because of their membership of the Agriculture Committee provides the workload, are only able to investigate fully a small fraction of this opportunity for a detailed look at the nature of the European continuous output. In this way the European Parliament should, Community itself. Major matters such as the ideas and proposals ideally, provide a back-up for national parliaments in the concerning the long-term reform of the Common Agricultural detailed supervision of EEC legislation, and in ensuring that the Policy and the annual agricultural price fixing, are issues with various interest groups and citizens affected by such legislation which we are concerned. back home are able to channel their reactions to the However, a host of minor agricultural rules and regulations decision-making authorities and voice their suggestions for also have to be scrutinised by the Committee, and these help change. convey the sheer complexity and detailed make-up of the CAP. Take, for example, a proposal with a typically snappy title­ 'Opinion on the proposal for a regulation fixing for the 1981182 'Can the Commission really marketing year the guide price for unginned cotton and the not separate the sheep quantity of cotton for which aid may be granted without reduction'. from the goats?' Similarly topics include draft directives on a system for marketing aubergines in the French Antilles, regulations amending previous regulations on production refunds in the cereals and rice sectors, including an extension of the production Our contacts with the Commission are not ofcourse restricted refunds granted for maize groats to maize 'gruten' ... and soon. to our committee involvement. Our constituents, particularly Ifreading the Commission documents in support ofsuch those of us who are based in assisted or special development areas proposals leaves you none the wiser as to the subject under in the UK, ask us to investigate the possibility of European consideration, it is advisable in committee to remember certain financial assistance for a variety ofworthwhile projects and to awkward questions which are always relevant and which can be seek advice about these from Commission officials. put to the Commission representatives in attendance. These are: Unfortunately, although some projects are eligible, many Which countries are affected by this proposal? Who benefits? others are not. All too often (but understandably) European And- not least important-Who pays? Community assistance is sought as a last resort, whereas it is Since the CAP has Topsy-like qualities, it is also a good idea to important to realise that since most Euro-money is in the form of find out if a particular proposal includes an open-ended a matching grant, national or local authorities have to be willing guarantee to buy-in, and ifso to seek to incorporate some to foot at least part of the bill. periodic review or request some further report from the Finally, Brussels is where the Parliament's political groups get Commission to the committee after a specified time limit. together to prepare joint positions for the forthcoming plenary Commission documents are a never-ending source of sessions, and to seek to achieve common grounds on the whole wonderment. In the documents over the 'lamb war' and the range of issues confronting the EEC. However much political introduction ofa 'sheepmeat regime' it was evident that goats, as parties in Britain may claim to be 'broad churches', they could well as sheep, were to be included, raising the inevitable question never equal the spread of views contained within certain ofthe whether the Commission really cannot separate the sheep from European Parliament's political groups!

13 EUROPE81

actors and actresses has recently returned from a highly successful tour of Norway and Holland, performing Richard Il and Good Lads at H earl, a play set in a Borstal and written by Peter Terson, who has provided much material for the NYT reflecting life as lived and seen by working-class youngsters. For the NYT, the trip was a first visit to Norway (playing Stavanger and Oslo). But the two-week tour as a whole was only one ofa succession of European dates, the first of which occurred before some of the youngest members of the present casts were even born. In fact, on their very first European engage­ ment, in 1960, the NYT went to Holland, appearing at The Hague, Amsterdam, Eind­ hoven, Arnhem, Hilversum, Enschede, Rot­ terdam, Utrecht, and Haarlem- an itinerary very similar to that followed this year. In 1981 there were some sons and daughters ofthe original audiences, as well as the parents themselves who saw Hamlet then, to bear enthusiastic witness that the NYT has lost none of its vigour and panache. The Youth Theatre represented Britain at the Theatre des Nations in the Sarah Bern­ hardt Theatre, Paris. The following year, 1961 , they took Julius Caesar - or, more accurately, Giulio Cesare - to Florence, Rome, Perugia, Genoa, and Turin- as well as making their first ofseveral appearances at the Berlin International FestivaL And so they have continued to the present day, taking to Europe a glimpse ofthe fact that not all British youths are soccer hooligans or inner-city rioters. The members of the NYT over the years have experienced their share of mishap, alarm, crisis-and laughs. The assistant man­ ager in those early days, the actor jeremy Harrison, recalls that life 'on the road' is not particularly glamorous. Berlin is much the same as Birmingham when you have to cram dress rehearsals and three performances into two days. 'Take Paris. It's two hours before take-off and the props and costume hampers won't go through the coach-door. They have to be at the airport in forty minutes. At the moment they're in the Euston Road. What's to be done? A rag-and-bone truck is sighted. The driver is persuaded to take the baskets to the airport. 'Even then they're too bulky for the hold of the ancient Viking aeroplane. No time to waste - empty the baskets, abandon them. The company board the plane with tights round their necks, swords in hand. Yorick goes to Paris wedged between the stage direc­ tor's knees. 'Ortake the Italian campaign- the battle of Guerrieri - misunderstandings with the im­ '11 put a girdle round the earth in forty presario, performance in Florence, departure JACKWATERMAN minutes,' says Puck in A Midsummer next day for Rome. Splendid reception awaits Night's Dream. The National Youth atposhBritishCouncilpaiazzo. But company reports on the ebullient-if Theatre of Great Britain, in whose arrives three hours late after twelve-hour Irepertory that play has appeared, does not coach journey, hungry, thirsty, still in jeans, precarious-career of the attempt to achieve quite that. But it and all the drink has gone. Then a one-hour National Youth Theatre in certainly puts a girdle round Europe. strike by Italian stage hands during the inter­ its Jubilee Year One of its companies of 32 young amateur val of Rome premiere. Oh, the glamour of 14 EUROPE81

representing your country a broad! 'Or there was Berlin, 1961 , just after the wall went up. International festival - great honour. Set and costumes go astray at Ostend. Hebbel Theatre is occupied by Planchon company until night before we open. So we rehearse on cinder football pitch - no cos­ tumes, no props, noset-andonly six hours to fit up and light the show. 'Is this how you see a guest appearance in a European capital?' The picture is all too accurate to anyone who has had anything to do with getting a show on-and off- the road/plane/train/ship. Michael Croft, the director and founder ofthe National Youth Theatre, relates with some relish other details of these early tours. There were dramas and rows in Rome with the theatre management, he says. 'They kept holding back our fees, and there were great money crises. The cast didn't know what had

hisnameasawriter)and his entire life. In 1956 Barrie Rutter, Robert Powell, Kenneth he produced for the school a modern-dress Cranham, Hywel Bennet, and a host ofothers Julius Caesar that was far ahead ofits time. As now performing on stage or directing, cast­ a result came the inspiration for the Youth ing, stage-managing, and designing behind Theatre, which he started with 90 of the boys the scenes. from Alleyn's and four from Dulwich Col­ Michael Croft feels that, although the lege. The venture started life in the East End worth of the Youth Theatre is appreciated in of London, with Henry VatToynbee Hall. this country, it is even more acclaimed in From these beginnings, the Youth Theatre Europe- where sporadic attempts have been has expanded almost beyond belief, and made to emulate it. He says: 'We've always Michael Croft is still the outspoken and had a really big reception abroad, and particu­ energetic driving force behind it. In this, its larly in Germany, where we've done not only Jubilee Year, it has mounted its biggest-ever three Berlin Festivals but a Ruhr Festival at Michael Croft, director of the NYT, at a season. Based on its own theatre, the Shaw Recklinghausen, as well as Hamburg, Frank­ reception in The Hague, where Peter Theatre in the Euston Road, London, it has furt, Diisseldorf, Boon and Bad Godesberg.' Terson's 'Good lads at Heart' (opposite and right) delighted Dutch 600 members, aged from IS to 21 , from all This year, the company has been able to go audiences in September. over the UK, taking part in 14 companies to Europe again only because of a British (including the European tour) with 14 plays Council grant. Its previous main grant, from and eight courses and workshop projects. The the Arts Council of Great Britain, has been productions include a revival of the enor­ withdrawn: a decision based on the notion hit them. In the end I had to say, "Look, no mously successful Zigger Zagger, Peter Ter­ that public money should support only pro­ fees- no performance." We got the money. son's football-fan piece, and Ben Jonson's fessional work- yet ignoring the professional 'But therewasrevengeahead. When we got Bartholomew Fair. This, a difficult play for support that exists in the organisation of the to Genoa we found all our accommodation had professionals, let alone amateurs, and bur­ NYT, in training and writing for it, and-even been cancelled. So we went to the police to see sting at the seams with sub-plots, characters, more important - ignoring how important a if they could help. They found us two hotels. and archaic Jonsonian slang, won high praise tributary the Youth Theatre is to the main­ But they warned us they were rather "friend­ from the drama critic of The Times. stream of the British professional theatre. ly" hotels. When we got there we found out Indeed, apart from some critics who have That this is well recognised in the profes­ what they meant. They weren't just "friend­ made a habit oflookingdown their noses at the sional theatre is emphasised by the support of ly". They were bordellos! NYT's enthusiasm and ebullience, there has the distinguished actress Dorothy Tutin, who 'What a situation! But we got over it. The been no lack of praise over the years. In deHvered to the Arts Council a petition signed girls barricaded themselves in their rooms. addition, along the way, the NYT has made its by herself and no fewer than 200 other mem­ And the boys patrolled the corridors through­ own contribution of successful actors and bers of the National Theatre, expressing their out the night!' actresses to the professional theatre, includ­ concern at the threat to the future of the NYT. On coming down from Oxford, Michael ing such names as Michael York, Helen That threat encompasses the possible loss Croft became an English master at Alleyn's Mirren, Derek Jacobi, Michael Pennington of their home at the Shaw Theatre, owned by School, Dulwich; and this, eventually, was to (the Royal Shakespeare Company's latest Camden Council, who are unable to make it change his ambitions (beyond teaching and Hamlet), David Suchet (the same company's pay on a part-time basis. despite Oxford acting, he was set on making latest Shylock), Martyn Jarvis, Diana Quick, What can be done to avoid such a fate ~ 15 EUROPE81

1 theatresofEurope? 'More important is the tremendous enthu­ 5howinq Europe that InMichael Croft's view, salvation may lie in siasm in Europe for our work, particularly not all Br1tish youths Europe. The continuance of the work of the among students, and especially in Germany, are soccer NYT would be assured if funds were made Belgium and Holland. They simply have no available for the foundation of a European equivalent, and they're very keen to have hooligans •••' Youth Theatre, on the lines of the successful one.' European Youth Orchestra. There is no doubting Michael Croft's belief Unlike music, of course, whose notation that such a project, which he himself would be transcends national frontiers, there would be prepared to run, would be as much a winner as overtaking this unique institution - one a language problem to overcome. 'But,' says his NYT has been during two decades here. which, in the words of a former member, the Michael Croft, 'we have overcome it in the He is convinced that the success of the Euro­ actress Helen Mirren, has helped to change past, and certainly Peter Brook, for example, pean Youth Orchestra could be repeated in the face of the entire British theatre, and has found in his activities abroad that lan­ theatrical terms. which its President, Sir Ralph Richardson, guage is not an insuperable barrier to making Were it to come about, there is equally no bo8sts has won international recognition and theatre work internationally .In fact, you find doubt that Britain's loss would be Europe's enchanted audiences in some of the great a common language. great gain. [I

Britain was the biggest European The ban on imports ofpoultry and Despite repeated scare stories in Concern that a future Labour customer for Israeli exports in 1980, eggs into the United Kingdom is a British papers, the British government would take Britain out buying 33 per cent ofgoods sold to the &ightening illustration ofthe departments oftrade, industty and ofthe Common Market is one of the EEC, the Israel exportjnstitute effectiveness ofthe pressure transport are unlikely to succeed in reasons behind delays by Nissan, brought to bear by the producers the Japanese motor vehicle reports. WestGerma1!)'wassecond, on, in this case, the British blocking personal car imports from manufacturer, in deciding whether 'With26percent, and France third, Minister for Aariculture. Just other EEC countries. Todosowould to set up a Datsun car plant in 'With21 percent, it said. The EEC because four blg English turkey be a flagrant breach ofthe TreaoP of Britain. bought more t1um 70 per cent of producers want to protect Rome. Company executives say that Israel's $860 million 'IJJorth ofexports themselves against French -Economist subsequent duties by Common last year, the institute said. competition-perfectly fair in this Market ststes on British exports case-British consumers face the would undermine the project's -Associated Press prospect ofoutrageous price viability. increases, not only on their Christmas turkey, but also on -Daily Telegraph At a fringe meeting in Blackpool poultry and eggs. theothernight, TonyBenn repeated his odd theory that ~ -BEUCNews Britain has won an improtant battle socialism is not merely difficult in the fight to keep out the Common under the rules of the EEC, but \\t Market's road shaking juggernaut actually illegal. lorries. He wanted us to know, in his The 44-tonner, which the EEC sincere and honest way, that Commission has backed since 1979, anyone who pretends otherwise is seems at last to have lurched into not being sincere and honest. I !t - the hard shoulder. So how about Fran~is After pressure from some British Mitterrand of France, who believes Euro MPs, Brussels is now himself to be a socialist and is not in proposing a 40 tonne theleastinhibitedbyBrussels? 'mini-juggernaut'. Theideaisthat these 'Euro' lorries will be able to -Jon Akass in the Sun circulate in any of the ten EEC countires. The decision to pull out of Europe The Community nose, capable of Special juggernaut routes, without a referendum is merely extension into everybody's suggests the EEC, could be dishonest. It is not an instrument to business, has been browsing among reserved for them in Britain where be used too often. Given that we West Germany is about to start a the off-licence shelves ofCardiff. the national limit is 32.5 tonnes. had a referendum which produced campaign to urge its Community There it found a wine label with the an overwhelming majority to take partners further along the road to plain device Cyftmiad o'Winoedd o -Daily Express us in, it is a matter of simple justice European union. wledyddyGymunedE'WIYJ/'eadd. and logic to let the voters speak Over the next few months it will Common Market regulations call again on this all-important issue. seek to persuade the other nine for a statement oforigin on the The trolleybus looks set to clatter Ofcourse the Community needs countries to join in a European labels of wine bottles, and they back onto the streets ofEurope. changing, but that can only be done Document, or declaration, which require it to be made in an official With fuel costs soaring, the from the inside. would form a foundation stone for language ofthe Community, and EEC is to study plans for an Labour's policy, ifit takes effect, future union. Welsh is not an official Community updated version ofthe all-electric would put us on the outside looking The main purpose of the language. trolley. An EEC committee is to in, even as other nations, like document would be to bring the look at a new~ oftrolleybus Little do they know what they which is not entirely dependent on Spain, are eagerly seeking to join. European Council-the are starting. Have they considered wires. We would depend as crucially as thrice-yearly heads-of-government whatMrGwynfor Evans, who was The 'Simode' trolley will have ever on what goes on across the meeting-and the present informal prevented from starving himself to an auxiliary diesel engine or be Channel yet denied the means to arrangements for foreign policy death last year only by the promise powered by batteries-which change it. There is no kind of sense cooperation, under the same roof as ofnon-stop Welsh on television, means that ifthere is a traffic in that. the Community structures. might do in a case like this? hold-up the trolleybus can be diverted. -New Standard -Daily Telegraph -The Times -Daily Mirror

16. Beefing up exports to Europe

From Down Under, trade of new clashes, involving also various claims States and Japan, with the ASEAN countries and counterclaims, as well as the opening of in the fourth place. It is also the second biggest with the European complaint procedures withln the framework market (after Japan), for Australian products. Community looks all one oftheGATT. Against that, trade dealings with Australia Officials on both sides have denounced matter infinitely less to the EEC than they do way. But the Aussies are those reports as exaggerated or altogether in reverse. From Australia comes little more working on it, reports wrong,and have shown themselves anxious to than 1 per cent of all EEC imports from de-dramatise the situation. But Australian non-member countries; to Australia goes PETERDREYER diplomats have conceded that there was roughly 1.5 per cent of what the Community potential for a fight, and have talked of'waves sells to thlrd nations all over the world. The arlier this year, the European of anguish'. In their rum, Commission of­ upshot is that, wrule to Australians the Com­ Community set up its first ficials h~ve admitted that things are 'in a state munity is indeed a vital trade partner, they in diplomatic mission in Canberra. In of flux' . turn are- or may consider themselves to be­ late July, Kaj Barlebo Larsen, a Nor, in existing circumstances, is this all not among the main nations doing business EDanish EEC official, until then director for that surprising. No-one will deny that there with Brussels. the organisation of markets in livestock are problems, both latent and overt, whether An additional element has arisen in recent products in the Commission's Department their roots be geopolitical, psychological or years. During the first two post-war decades, ofAgriculture , flew out to Canberra as merely related to on-going economic and and continuing the pre-war pattern, most of head of the EEC delegation. trade matters. Australia's European trade took place with Mr Larsen is no stranger to Australia- rus Also, their distance from the Western Great Britain, traditionally Australia's prin­ Commission work had already taken him world may make Australians more sensitive cipal trading partner. Under a 15-year agree­ there. More to the point still, rus Brussels about being isolated, neglected or overlooked ment, forinstance, all the beefAustraliacould experience is likely to stand rum in good stead - conditions wruch Community officials say make available for export went to the United in rus new assignment. For questions oflives­ they do take into consideration. Kingdom. The Australians had quite a dif. tock, and more particularly of beef, are at the There is also a related phenomenon, wruch ficult time negotiating their way out of this centre ofEEC-Australian relations. applies to many other countries all over the deal when they decided to diversify their ex­ These have not always been free from ten­ globe with wruch the Community is engaged port markets. But British purchases of Aus­ sions. In fact, just about at the time of Mr in trade. The Community is Australia's num­ tralian goods have declined substantially, in Larsen's departure, newspaper reports spoke ber one supplier, outranking the United both absolute and relative terms, since the ~ 17 • • 1 9 1EUROPE811 • , clause provisions as a pretext. As matters the share of wool, hides and skins, non­ Pfhe evolution of the stand, 80 per cent of the domestic automobile ferrous metals and ore concentrates- all sold CAP has had an market is fenced off against shipments from in large quantities-has remained roughly the incisive impact on the outside world. same, that of coal has increased sharply. It The fact remains that either side needs the may well grow additionally in the years ahead, Australia's sales of other. This was highlighted in a resolution in contributing to greater trade equilibrium. farm produce' 1979 of the European Parliament, which The absence of such an equilibrium has among other things emphasised Australia's been one prime reason for Australia's concern vital role as a supplier of (industrial) raw over the EEC relationship. But this could now materials to Europe. It also called on Australia be changing. During the 1979-80 trade year, to review its industrial policies with an eye on the gap narrowed appreciably as Australian the EEC's export possibilities; and it pointed exports to the Community advanced by 33 per United Kingdom entered the European Com­ to the opportunities available for European cent over the preceding 12-month period, munity,began phasing out the Common­ investments in Australia. whereas imports were only up 8 per cent. wealth Preference scheme, and was included While sales offarm produce now make up a Latest figures likewise show Australian ex­ in the mechanisms of the common agricultu­ much smaller share of Australian exports to ports to Europe rising faster - albeit at a ral policy (CAP). the Community than in the early 1970s, and somewhat slower pace-than imports. [I The evolution of the CAP has had an inci­ sive impact on Australia's sales of farm pro­ . duce, and not only those to EEC member states. Canberra never had· any illusions about what would happen to its exports to the Com­ munity once Britain l:fad joined. Even if, for instance, the GATI Tokyo Round produced 'managed access', meaning small improve­ ments for shipments of (notably) beef and cheese, the Australians realised that their overall access to Community markets would gradually become more difficult. The remedy would lie in building up alternative sales out­ lets elsewhere in the world; which they have done in the United States,Japanandother Far Eastern as well as also Near Eastern markets. They did not foresee that, from having been a substantial importer of agricultural pro­ ducts, the Community would move into the role of a massive exporter. Benefiting from considerable export restitutions under the CAP, Community producers also have en­ tered markets which the Australians have cultivatedsoastooffsettheirlossesinEurope. The resUlt is that the Community is now the world's number one exporter of dairy pro­ ducts - also number two (behind Cuba) of sugar; and number two also (behind Austra­ lia) of beef. The Australians are worried lest by next year, they might have to cede the number one spot for beef exports to Europe. Their complaint is, first, that all this would not have been possible without the CAP's export subsidies; and secondly that it tends to depress world Iilarket prices even in areas to which Community exports do not go. The Brussels response is that the Australian authorities themselves are not innocents when it comes to trade policy, and also that the EEChasleanedover backward to avoid giving ROLLING UP FOR LOME additional offense to Canberra. Thus, Com­ n a bid to increase the UK business billion in aid over the next four years. With so mission officials point out that, in connection community's awareness ofthe vast much at stake, the Chamber has guaranteed with the recent sheepmeat market regulation, trading opportunities open to the presence of ISO key government and in­ they displayed extensive discipline and - to Ibusinessmen under the Lome n dustry representatives from the African, prevent friction with the Australians - re.. Convention, the London Chamber of Caribbean and Pacific countries, on the 3rd frained from making export refunds even if Commerce is to hold a two-day conference and 4th of December at London's new Barbi­ the legal authority to do so existed. in December. canCentre. As for the claims and counterclaims over The conference, which is supported by the With over 500 businessmen attending the GA TI, the Community maintains that Aus­ Commission and the British Government, is conference, the organisers believe this event tralia has adopted excessively protectionist seeking to help EEC-and specifically British marks the first real attempt in the UK to attitudes on, for instance, imports of auto­ - businessmen to take advantage of a market explain in detail the comprehensive aid pack­ mobiles and shoes, using the GAIT's escape which, under Lom~ n, is toreceivesome£2.5 age available under the Convention. 18.

~ .. '·· .• EUROPE81 Face to face with the energy crisis

ean Gimpel is a dynamic French The human race needs new Animal, wind and water power, although vir· visionary who believes in the rather tually abandoned in the developed world dur· unusual concept that much ofth e ene~sources,anditneeds ing the era of cheap oil, are still vital in the long-discarded technology invented in them fast. During the past Third World. And, as was acknowledged at Jthe Middl e Ages can be valuable, or even the Nairobi conference, they may even have a vital, in today's world. three months international more significant role in the European Com· He not only wrote a book, 'The Medieval discussions have taken a munity and other industrial countries trying Machine', discussing thls premise, but he is more purposeful turn-as to cope with their different versions of the also part of an international team actually more energy crises. trying to put some of these ideas into practice DAVID FOUQUET, who In the wake of the dramatic oil and energy in rural Kenya. At a village on the Ndarugu was at the Nairobi crises in recent years, the European Com· river, about an hour's drive from Nairobi, he munity has stepped up its interest in the and other members of the group are adapting conference this summer, development ofalternative sources ofenergy, techniques ranging in age from some 100 to reports both for its own use and for consumption in about 3,000 years old, to try to improve the the developing world. This action is based on lives of residents of a small cluster of wooden years of experience in promoting such forms structures. of energy all over the world, and on the belief The maize-grinding mill operated by a that an expansion in these sectors is vital to nearby waterfall, and an associated hydraulic greater self-reliance and independence from pump that provides the village's water sup­ imported oil and other fossil fuels. ply, thereby sparing local women and chil· Internally, the Community has allocated dren countless hours spent struggling up and about £40 million solar energy projects in the down a ravine for water, were but two exam· EEC countries from 1969 to 1983. And it has pies which were discussed this summer in also approved £10 million ECU for geo· Nairobi, as part oft he historic United Nations thermal energy action in the 1980 to 1983 conference on new and renewable energy re· period. About £27 million has also been set sources. aside for solar and geothermal technology This meeting was the first effort by the development. world community to try to come to grips with A demonstration of the Community's con· the worsening planetary energy problem. For cem about the plight of developing countries two weeks at Nairobi's modern Kenyatta in the field ofenergy is the fact that some £500 Conference Centre, delegations from the million was set aside by the EEC and its European Community and the rest of the member states in the 1975-1980 period for world focused on the contributions which energy cooperation aid projects. About one· so-called alternative sources of energy could fifth of these were devoted to alternative en er· make to this major international problem. gy. This put the Community at the top of the Official delegates, scientific experts, non· list of contributors to energy development in governmental activists and others, totalling the Third World, and generated projects some 4,000 participants, examined the pros· nearing £540 million. pects for developments ofmany varied techni· The EEC position on new and renewable ques, such as the hydropower that operates energy resources was that although they the Ndarugu maize mill and water supply. would not resolve all energy problems, they While concentrating on 14 such alternative would be called on to occupy a more impor· sources of energy, the conference excluded tant role in the Community's supply. This such familiar supplies as oil, coal, gas, or would mean that, by the year 2000, new ener· nuclear energy. gy sources could provide between 6 and 10 per 'We are not trying to over-emphasise or cent of the Community's total energy con· under-estimate the contribution of these sumption. sources of energy,' noted conference sec re· Moreover, as numerous speakers from the tary-general Enrique Iglesias, in Brussels be· Community noted in the Nairobi meeting, fore the session. 'What we are trying to do is these sources of energy represent a more im· place them in their proper perspective.' portant part of the third world total energy The fact is that, although in Europe and the picture, which needs to be developed if their rest of the industrialised world these addition· energy needs are going to be met in the future. al sources of energy represent only a small EEC energy commissioner Etienne Davignon percentage of the total energy consumed, they indicated that the new Lome Convention of have far greater importance to the Third trade and aid relations between the Commun­ World, and especially its rural populations. ity and some 60 developing countries opens For example, an estimated 2 billion rural up increased possibilities for alternative ener· residents in the Third World- about half the gy financing. total world population - still rely on in· He also outlined a series of steps the Com· creasingly scarce supplies of wood for their munityshould be taking in the future. He said basic daily cooking and heating needs. the Commission would be proposing, among ~ 19 EUROPE81

increase in demand for the world's limited energy sources by the developing countries is expected as they proceed further toward in­ COALFOR300YEARS dustrialisation and urbanisation. This was a Europe is DOt mo'riag fast enough point noted by United Nations secretary towards a co-ordinated energy general Kun Waldheim, when he told the policy, according to Sir Derek Ezra, . meeting: 'If the minimum needs of the de­ chairman ofthe National Coal velopment process and increased popula tions Board.ln the next ten years alone, be are to be met, substanial amounts of energy, told an audience ofbusinessmen on both conventional and non-conventional, will 21 September, the steady need to be available to the Third World coun­ replacement ofoil by coal in the tries.' Europeaa Commanity will mean that While the new and renewable sources of indigenous coal production and energy discussed at the Nairobi meeting now imports will rise from 261 million cover only some IS per cent of the world toDDes a year now to about 350 energy requirements, they represent some 40 million tODDes. per cent of the energy consumed in develop­ Oil use over the present decade, be ing countries, with firewood being by far the said, is likely to fall steadily as largest contributor. The cost of trying to stem demand and production get the steady reduction of the planet's forests, progressively out ofs tep. Sir Derek plus the development of alternative energy added that there is an urgent need to sources to fill a projected 20 to 25 per cent of conserve oil and gas, because proved world needs, was acknowledged to be 'stag­ reserves in Westem Europe ofoil are gering'. enoqb to last only 28 years at On the key issues facing the conference present rates ofproduction , and of there was general agreement from most coun­ gas only 22 years. Coal reserves, on tries, including the European Community the other band, are estimated at 'Half the total world members. Even the United States delegation 71 billion tonnes, sufficient to last population still rely on managed to make most of its views prevail in nearly 300 years. the eventual compromise. Increasingly scarce This meant that, instead of establishing Speaker after speaker told ofprojects on the supplies of wood for new UN and World Bank machinery especial­ drawing boards which could provide vast ly geared to alternative energy development, power, irrigation and other potential, but their daily cooking as most participating countries wished, a deci­ which had been blocked by lack of funds and heat1ng' sion on these subjects will be eventually left to during the era of cheap oil which should now the UN General Assembly. While a number of be viable. There were several calls for an countries also made specific commitments for international dam development campaign as funding such energy programmes, the confer­ the possible answer to the looming shortfall of ence also ended without a specific financial energy in the world-although some environ­ other things, a doubling of the research and target for each country. But it did wind up mentalists and other experts issued caution­ development expenditures in the Community with adoption of a document termed the ary warnings about the possible impact of for new and renewable sources of energy. In Nairobi Plan ofAction. such projects. As an example of the inte.rest order to improve its assistance and training of This Plan ofAction requests all countries to demonstrated in the past by the European developing country experts in this field, he draw up thorough inventories and plans for Community in this field, some 80 per cent of also said the Commission would propose that new and renewable energy resources, and aid in the energy field furnished by its main the EEC Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy puts forward concrete recommendations for financing organism, the European Develop­ be opened to researchers from developing promoting their development through ment Fund, has gone to hydro-electric countries of the Lome Convention. technical training, investments, transfer of schemes. Speaking for the presidency of the Council technologies and other means. Among the 14 This and other types of European Com­ of Ministers, British secretary of state for major ones evaluated by experts, prior to and munity assistance to alternative energy pro­ energy David Howell observed that the during the conference, were active and pas­ jects have been extensive, ranging over vir­ Nairobi conference 'could mark the start of a sive solar energy; tidal, wave and sea thermal tually all types of means and resources. This truly comprehensive, lasting and fruitful power; wind; geothermal energy; hydropow­ has meant subsidised or special-condition cooperation between all countries to achieve er; biomass; fuel wood and charcoal; oil shale loans, as welJ as grants for mini-projects the distant but essential goal of abundant, and tar sands; peat; and draught animals. directly affecting the lives ofvillagers to major affordable and sustainable access to energy for While considerable attention was focused electricity generating or transmission all people.' But he and other speakers made on such sources as solar and biomass energy schemes. They have also spanned the globe to clear the monumental problems that lie in the projects, many experts seemed to feel that the benefit African, Caribbean, Pacific and other way to realisation of that goal. He said that, more immediately feasible progress might be developing states, or entire regions. since the rise in oil prices of 160 per cent in made in hydro-electric power-asource which These have been tailored to fit the needs or three years, the balance of payments position has been in use for centuries but which de­ special conditions in the various ACP coun­ of non-oil-producing developing countries clined in popularity during the era ofcheap oil tries, such as the abundance ofsunshine in the has deteriorated alarmingly. and gas. A UN report prepared for the confer­ Sahara and Sahel, wind force in the Cape It was the goal of the conference to set in ence observed that, of all the renewable Verde and Comores islands, geothermal re­ motion a process that might lead to some sources of energy known today, hydropower serves in Ethiopia and Somalia, vegetation or financial, technological and institutional solu­ is 'the most practical and effective on an in­ agricultural production such as sugar cane, tions to these important problems, which dustrial scale'. About half the world's hydro­ which favour biomass development, water threaten not only the developing countries electric power potential was located in the conditions to sustain micro-hydrolics, or out also the industrialised world competing developing countries, but that only about 9 ocean thermal energy conversion as in Abid­ for existing sources of energy. A substantial per cent had thus far been exploited. janBay. 20 EUROPE81

The Mangla Dam, Pakistan­ investment in a natural resource for generating energy. 'Of all the renewable sources of energy known today, hydropower is the most pradical on an industrial scale'

Another example of the broad European interest in alternative energies and the Nairo­ bi conference was evident in the participation of academic experts, unofficial activists and commercial interests from the member coun­ tries. The member states sent top-level de­ legations to participate in the work of the conference and to explain the work and exper­ tise of their countries in the field. These also included the EEC commissioner for develop­ ment, Edgar Pisani, and European Parlia­ ment president Simone Veil. Nearly all individual EEC countries had major displays and exhibits of their industrial and technological accomplishments, as part of an accompanying exposition at the nearby Nairobi fairgrounds. There, many of the big­ gest names in European industry who had heated naturally by rocks, at Southampton. prepared demonstrations of their products There, the city council has approved a scheme and projects in use in many Third World ENERGY IN costing £3 million to drill a borehole to pro­ countries and in Europe, discussed details vide heat for new shops and offices. with potential users. STORE-BUT A potentially greater, but more difficult, There were also a large number of Euro­ idea is the harnessing of heat from rocks lying pean experts who participated in parallel con­ several miles under the earth's crust. Follow­ ferences sponsored by international non­ HOW TO TAP IT? ing a first-stage experiment at the Camborne governmental organisations, such as Earth­ School of Mines in Cornwall, in which water scan and Friends of the Earth. T hese tended ompared with the energy problems pumped in cold was extracted at a tempera­ to concentrate on more controversial topics of other countries, those of Britain ture of 11 degrees centigrade, the project - connected with the conference, such as the may seem relatively less supported by a Government grant of £6 mil­ role of women or multinational companies in Cthreatening. Britain does, after all, lion and EEC aid ofmore than£ 1 million-has energy development. sit on its own coal-bunker. And North Sea been moved to a small quarry in nearby Rose­ Virtually all participants from Europe and oil should see us through to the late 1990s. manowes, where a drilling rig has been the rest of the industrialised or developing But these remain short-term benefits. Like erected to take borings down to 5,000 metres world agreed that a major global effort would the rest of the world, Britain is engaged on and heat waterto around 175°C. have to be undertaken in the coming years to research and experimentation into alternative The team's work, which is complementary head offan energy crisis of even larger dimen­ fuel sources, and these are beginning to show to sirnilar studies in Los Alamos in the United sions than in recent years. It was also evident results. A feasibility study of a barrage for the States, is based on the concept of drilling two that there were many different roles to play in Severn estuary offers a prospect of electricity holes deep into the hot"granite, which is then this enormous undertaking, from marshall­ costs scarcely higher than those ofa coal-fired artificially fractured. Water is pumped down ing huge amounts of money for industrial power station. one well and across the reservoir of broken energy programmes to dealing with the grow­ The five estuaries around Britain's shores rock to gather its heat before emerging ing firewood shortage by seed growing and could in time provide 20 per cent of the coun­ through the second well as steam for power­ planting. try's electricity. And wind-power could be­ generation. In the Kenyan village where Jean Gimpel come cost-effective in Scotland, where de­ The giant granite 'spine' in the south-west and his team operate their hydraulic demon­ signs for machines producing 3 to 4 mega­ of England makes it a logical area for any stration projects they have been showing the watts are already under construction. Studies widespread production of geothermal heat, villagers how to get more efficient heatirig in other areas for installing clusters of wind­ possibly leading to the growth of secondary from their traditional stoves. This, the locals generators offshore could lead to the produc­ industry based on cheap energy supplies. But tell you, helps to cut down on the firewood tion of a further 5 million tonnes of coal the initial investment for such a scheme would they need to gather and cart back to their huts equivalent per annum. be enormous. To meet a mere 1 to 2 per cent of every day, so reducing both their' labour and So far as geothermal sources of energy are national electricity demand in the year 2000 the amount of wood they strip from the rapid­ concerned, two versions are already under will require 120 pairs of wells 6,000 metres ly dwindling forest. New technology, it test in this country. The most advanced pro­ deep, with drilling costs alone of an estimated seems, is only part of the answer. Improving ject is the extraction of low energy heat - £1 ,000million. old and traditional methods can also make a below temperatures of 100 degrees centigrade Biomass technologies - the conversion of vital contribution. [it - from underground reservoirs of water wastes into solid fuels and the manufacture of .... 21 , t I EUROPE SUb me ~m ,,, ·z'·na·d

liquid fuels from the fermetation of plants - likely that a deeper understanding of the are another attractive option for Britain, cap­ Continental way of life will follow. able of producing between them some 12 Finally, the Community's political efforts, million tonnes of coal equivalent per annum. letters such as the attempt to help towards a solution Manufacture of solid fuels in this way is Matter offact of the Israeli/ Arab problem and the question already a commercial reality, and methods of I have just spent a frustrating hour looking ofMghanistan, will in the nature of things making liquid fuels for transport are well through back copies of EUROPE 81 to find out lead to some successes and bring with them a advanced. one simple fact-is Greece a member of legitimate pride in our joint achievements. Brazil, meanwhile, is gradually introduc­ the European Monetary System? ing the alcohol-powered car. In order to over­ Since many people only see the magazine R.M.D. Palmer come the expected initial consumer resistance occasionally, is there not a case for having one Riehenring73, - at least one-fifth more alcohol would be page which always contains basic details 40S8Basle needed to drive the same distance as a petrol about the EEC, updated as changes occur? model, and there are worries about corrosion I would like to see a central double page Wrong Welsh and cold-starting- the Brazilian government giving all the relevant facts. May I correct a few points in Roy Stemman's set the price of alcohol at little more than half interesting article, 'Why the Welsh would that of petrol. G. M. Whitehead, welcome an invasion'? Chesterton, Cambridge Telford's suspension bridge is not the only road link between Anglesey and the · Alcohol to power D Like Britain, Greece is technically a mainland. Stephenson's railway bridge now a million 'i;ooze­ memBer ofthe EMS but does not take part in has a carriageway superimposed on it. the exchange rate mechanism. The name of the present terminus of the buggies' in Brazil Housing Turner Ffestiniog Railway is Tanygrisiau. And the Selby Whittingham, in his article on 'Turner correct spelling of the new pump storage in Europe' (August/September issue) scheme is Dinorwig. evidently supports the Turner Society's Obviously, tourism does help the Welsh The growth of sales of alcohol-driven cars, campaign-now lost, I fear-for a wholly economy, but one must also realise that it is coupled with a large number of conversions separate Turner gallery in London, as the an anglicising factor in Welsh-speaking areas from petrol, brought the 'booze-buggy' total painter stipulated in his will. and that it is seasonal by nature, though to almost half a million by early 1981. Brazil As he says, the proposed Qore Gallery will attempts are being made to extend the will distill about 4,600 million gallons of alco­ in effect be an extension ofthe Tate. This is holiday season. hol this year - enough to power more than a not the same thing at all, even if, as I read in In spite of what your correspondent says, million cars - and production will more than the paper, the gallery 'is to have its own not all ofus 'would welcome an invasion'. double by 1985. To get farmers to increase the separate identity and will be clearly seen from areastheyplantwithsugar-caneforfermenta­ Millbank across the gardens ofthe Tate'. Dafydd Orwig tion to meet such a demand, an artificially Bethesda, Gwynedd high price is being paid to farmers and refiners Stella McKnight alike. Manyofthemhavepulled up coffee and Bramham Gardens, SW3 Drugs code maize plantations, or sent cattle for slaughter, Taking the credit I was interested to read about the discussions to make room for this attractive new cash- . concerning common standards within the Would readers ofEUROPE 81 help by checking crop. The result has been higher prices for up on whether local authorities and Community for the marketing of food and commodities. Moreover, the con­ pharmaceuticals. verts to alcohol-power have mainly been com­ companies that receive grants from the European Regional Fund, or other funds, I hope that, at the same time, companies mercial users such as high-mileage taxi driv­ will agree on standards of conduct when ers and commercial travellers, rather than the give appropriate credit to the European Community on notice boards erected during marketing drugs abroad, specially to ordinary motorist. Petrol tax which could be the construction period? countries where poverty and low levels of used for less inflationary purposes is simply literacy mean that the native population is It would be helpful ifreaders could subsidising the alcohol-car programme. especially vulnerable. Unless the technology can be improved, the communicate either to you or directly to me, the extent to which proper credit is given for It is indeed a poor thing ifdrugs which are use of wave-power for electrical generation in such expenditure on their areas. out-dated or barred in European countries Britain can be considered a noli-starter. The are sold in these less fortunate communities. central problem is whether costs can be Andrew Pearce brought below Sp per kilowatt hour, to com­ MEP for Cheshire West AilsaPain pete with conventional power stations. 30 Grange Rd, West Kirby, Cressfield Close, NWS The Community has recognised the need to Wirral, Merseyside L48 4HA set up a new r~ch structure geared exclu­ No marks sively to the needs of developing countries, Right background It's encouraging to know that British with a legal framework which will allow the I should like to congratulate E. A. Traynor business in Europe is looking good, as your transfer of technologies to the Third World. on his letter ('Blaming the Common headline says (August/September). But it In order to get this new form of co-operation Market'). A Londoner like him and also surely hasn't risen to a £7 billion surplus, as moving, the Commission plans to submit having had a Continental upbringing you announce in bold letters on the same proposals along these lines to the Council of followed by twenty years as an export page. the EEC early in 1982. The Directorate-. director specialising in the European The figure of£700 million, given in your General for Development is already working Market, I share his opinion that a opening paragraph, sounds more like it. to determine the broad lines of a programme background ofthat kind helps greatly of research specific to developing countries. towards an understanding of the various JohnStott With less than 20 years of this century Continental points of view. Wood End, Surrey remaining, time is not on anyone's side in the Now that 43 per cent ofUnited Kingdom search for new energy. But at least some trade is with other Common Market D£700 million is right. We award ourselves imaginative starts have been made. [I countries it will surely become increasingly the extra nought for accuracy. 22· - -· ·' _-

' ·..•.. ;· ... ~~i~~#Jm;;th~·ati~~l'~ an~d~c at· •· Regional Policy in the European Com­ .~·•.. ··. , th~ ~url:iam UiiiverSiw BusineSs School, munity. Edited by Douglas Yuill, Kevin ;'.' . : ' ~ .. ·····.· ... ·• , ~'¥~1#acticsj.lO()lt~W:ep(,ten~role9f Alien and Chris Hull. Croom Helm, · ••...•. ·.. ··· . · · ll.~.~ in pt()WJbjg job~, theit groWth . £12.95. I ·'· ··•. rate$> ~~ tliey hav~ ~n establi$hed; . Overall Community economic policies •· ~hollarve~hh~:UP~andothers.Spectsof · have not been allowed to override regional · $i:na1i b~ otwt"B.ti<.ils which seem · needs and priorities. Not all regions have . , ltio~ielevarit nQw~ in C()n~ti()ns of rising benefited equally from economic growth · 'tiJ:letnplo~tallover):~:ur9pe~ even than,. . and Community-wide activity as a com­ , .. tb1£ydidiq.~edJ.tySW'~~ we 'neverhadit mon market. Infrastructure investment, · · · . ·· · ·· ··· . s~gt)od~;'f:helfa~~s:there$UJ.tofoverthree the use ofstate-owned or state-controlled I Britain in the European Conun~: tit~· ~ of !tsearcli, muclt of# frpm .the firms to help in development, disincen­ : advantages.andoppnmmitie&.BySc9tt . • ·· .·~ii.;nce.ofScoilii.n . · . '· . .·· ···. ··· · . . . ·. ·. ·· ,fie OICiWorldand iberN~w TecltnQlo- The Logic of Unity: a geography of the • WithdrawalhmtbenEC;Stlitem~n.hO: :> :··~~ ;8y· .. ~cltel· ~et• anp Plivier European Economic Community. 3rdedi­ ... conference by the National Exect~tive ... ·. ·: i ·i · :Ruy~: CWnfuis~lon of the. European. 1 tion.ByGeoffreyParket. Longman,£4.95. . Committeel98l.Labo... urPaJt}',, · .....·· .• • · ConlinWJjties;. Bru&Se~, £2,60 (paper~ 1 150WalworthRoad,S~I71JT.50pe11~~ back)~ ·.·. · ·· ·... ·...... ·. ·... . This new edition includes two new chap­ ters, on population and on changing aims r ·Thecontroversyalx)utBntain•smeip~rslUp ,.; •• ~;.l$tu...dr.:tft?~ the l~Ec.·.. ·s·. •t&ink.· . tank', · and policies within the CommunitY. oftheEuropeanCommunitYstillr:Uthbl~rul ·ltii · · FAST (F · d 1 inpoliticillclrcles; TheSI:;teceptPttblic;a~o~~ ... ··. ow~ as ·.·•.· ..·.. ··.·.·· ... Ol'eC~UtUlg an . ' fromthetwomaior partles()ftherigltt~ : < ~s~~:nt in tthe fi~ld of. ~cience and The Substantive Law of the EEC. By Derrick Wyatt and Alan Dashwood. . theleftgivethedifferentsid~ofthe ·' · . T~olog1), whicli sets .outto •identify i1 argument. · . · .· . < · ·· .. : fU,tme.pro\ll~intheCommunitysoasto Sweet&Maxwell,£13.00(softcovers). . . ;pde s~d.in~ oit.r~eli an~ tecJ1nolo~ Tl:re emphasis of this work is less on· . ' New Firm FormQtion !!Jld; .R.C!P~ P~ , gicaJ: cievelopment.· ~ boQk, subtitled · . ·institutional law than on the legal imple- I velopment. By Michael Cross· (Jow~r, · fCiiaUen8estoEutopein.abo~tileworld', . mentation of major CommunitY policies: £15.00. · . ·· . . ••. . . ·. ., < . . • ~es'"' among.(}the~ toPics "7 ~m- what the publishers describe as 'areas of In the wake of the Bjrch'R;e~t in 1.9c7~~·:.' :... •···.· .•prCa$ng' .·~ties •. betWeen .. European substantive lawwhichare the <:ore features : and other studies,of the eeonomic:impcirt- . . ~untrles wW,ch COuld shake, the forinda- of the system, and where a well-developed · ance ofsmall businesS. oPeration&m ll~~ ··•.· ,titlt1softbe C<>mmunity~; ·· caselawrequiresanalysisandelucidation'. I' -- '• . , , ~ 'li'

______: __ "''-- ..---:..,._ :~·. '·- ...-~:.·_L__,.·:.::...:.___._: THE COMMUNITY AS AN ALLIANCE OF EQUALS ~In the years tihead I expect European political Western sociew is based on democracy and pluralism. cooperation to develop pragmatically. There will be no There are ways in which this can seem tO make us weaker grand design, no abolition ofnational foreign policies, no than the monolithic regimes. We cannot spend money Euro-F oreign Office, no one F oreignMinister to the power without it being voted. We cannot pass laws without often. But my nine colleagues and I will meet more often, consulting our parliaments. We cannot take decisions agree more often, act together more often. We shall extend without regard to out public opinion. We cannot even come the range ofsubjects on which we concert. We shall launch to power without being elected. more initiatives, and more ofthem will bring results. But in realiW this pluralism is our strength. It gives us Our cooperation in the Ten will not replace or compete flexibiliW, creati'Diw, variew, imagination, vigour. An with other groups in which most ofthe members ofthe alliance ofequals, all contributing to policy, is infinitely CommuniW are cooperating with other states: in particular, stronger than any system on the solar model. The policies of the role ofNATO will not be impaired. But we in the Ten, western governments have. greater weight precisely because soon to be Twelve, will become more and more what on our they must command the support ofpublic opinion . .. best days we are already- an economic and political grouping ofsubstantial weight and consequence in the great There is strength in diversiw, and also in uniw. What I e'Dents ofthe world. have been suggesting is diversi~ without dispute in our methods,.uniw without uniformiw in our policies, and I should not like to exaggerate. The influence which the · identiw in our aims and our ideals.' Ten or Twelve can have, in a world dominq,ted by superpowers and super weapons, will be limited. We cannot -Lord Carrington hope to set the world to rights or wave a wand over ancient international problems to produce an instant solution. Like other practitioners ofthe diplomatic an, we shall need patience and perseDerence, and a willingness to tolerate 0 From a speech by the Foreign Secretary to the Foreign Policy second-best solutions when the best is not attainable. Association,NewYork,23 September 1981. 23 ~.·.:.: THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY Member States, Regions aDd Administrative Units ------