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May/ June 1982 'The Commission of the European Communities condemns the armed intervention of Argentina against a British territory linked to the Community, in violation of international law and the rights of the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands. The Commission expresses its solidarity with the United Kingdom ••• ' FRO.\\ THE ST:\TL\\E:\T ISSLED BY THE CO.\\.\\ISSIO:\ 0:\6 APRIL EUROPE82 In this issue ... Published by the Commission of the European Communities, 20 Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4QQ. No miracles on Merseyside. Report by Roy Stemman 3 Tel: Ol-727 8090 Operation Europe-and why Britain must stay inside 6 Editor-in-Chief: George Scott Editor: John Greenwood Melina Mercouri- her own story 7 Associate Editor: Denis Thomas Design: Lawrence Edwards Why did Greenland say No to Europe? 9 Printed by Lawrence-Alien Ltd, A backward look at ancient Rome. By Denis Thomas 11 Weston-super-Mare, Avon Sir Henry Plumb interviewed by Frank Entwisle 12 Europe 82 does not necessarily reflect, in all particulars, the opinions of the Community What chance of true European union? By Marjorie Liste r 13 institutions. Unsigned material may be quoted or reprinted without payment, First footsteps into Europe. By Mary Gotschall 14 subject to suitable acknowledgement. The Community and the F alldands. By Eberhard Rhein 15 Belfast Office: Windsor House, 9115 Bedford Sueet, Belfast BT2 7EG Community Reports 16 Tel. (0232) 40708 CardiffOffice: 4 Cathedral Road, What's in the·Papers 19 CardifCCF!9SG Tel. (0222) 371631 How the Em became Europe's 'listening bank'. By Peter Dreyer 20 Edinburgh Office: 7 AJva Street, Edinburgh EH 2 4PH Third finger, left hand. By J ames Hogan 21 T el. (031) 225 2058 Which way to the altar? By Kerin Hope 23 Associated editions: Europe,2100M Sueer, NW, Letters 23 Suite 707, Washingto.n DC 20037, USA Tel. 202 8629500 Europe puts beefinto exports. By Barry Wilson 24 Europe, 350 Sparks Street, Suite 1110, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K I R 7S8. An American answer to industrial decline. By John Brennan 25 Tel. (613) 238-6464 CmnmunityReporl, 39 Molesworth Street, Has Labour got it wrong about Europe? By Ann Clwyd, MEP 26 Dublin 2, Ireland Tel. 712244 Tackling the drugs problem 27 30Joursd'Europe, 61 rue des Belles Feuil1es, 75782ParisCedex 16, France. Tel. 501 58 85 EUROFORUMisinsetafter page 14 CmnunitOEuropu, Via Poti 29, 00187 Rome,ltaly. Tel.6789722 EF-avisenGammel Torv4, Post Box 144, 1004Copenhagen K, Denmark. Te1 14414011455 32 EG Magazin, Zitelmannstrasse 22, 5300 Bono, W. Germany Tel. 23 8041 Cmnunidad europea, Serrano,41 -5a planta Madrid-!, Spain Tel.4741199 EuropaikiKoinoris, 2 Vassilissis Sofias, T .K . l602,Atbens 134,Greece Tel. 743 982/314 Europa-bericht, E V R info, Archimedesstraat 73, 1040 Brussel, Belgium T el.2354L78 Echosdel'Europe, BAtimem jean Monner, Luxembourg Kirchberg Tel. 4-301 3440 Avrupa Toplulugu, 13 BoAaz Sokak Kavaklidere, Ankara, Turkey Tel.276145 2 EUROPE82 ~ Merseyside ~ County Counct l I No miracles on Merseyside In its great days, Liverpool thrived as a mighty large areas of the city moulder, life in the worst dockland and trading port. In recent years, shifts in affected communities is grim. Government aid trading patterns between Britain and the rest of the schemes, and funds from the European world have brought drastic changes. Today, as Community, are Merseyside's best hope. hile the east coast ports of Felix in business. In 1962 the Queen opened a new stowe, Harwich and Ipswich are ROY STEMMAN reports river entrance lock and seven modern cargo reaping the benefits of their close on an historic city that has berths, known as the Langton-Canada Wess to the rest of Europe (see missed out on Britain's Docks. A 500-acre site to the north was re EUROPE 82, March) Liverpool-with its tradi claimed from the sea, and a £50 million mul tional links with the United States and the increasing trade with tiple dock complex was opened in 1973. Commonwealth- has seen a steady decline in the rest of Europe But, at the same time as the Port of Liver trade. The result, coupled with other trends, pool was being renewed, the older parts of the is that the ve.ry heart of the city has withered docks were under-utilised. Then, in 1972, the away, affecting its economic strength and the old South docks were closed: their shallow morale ofits people. acting as host to a string of royal visitors for waters and narrow quays were no longer suit Liverpool owes its existence as a city to each official opening. In 1927 the Gladstone able for modern vessels. King John whose desire to conquer Ireland Dock system was opened - the biggest and And there they remain - a derelict, de led him to grant it a charter in 1207. From then deepest docks in the world. That was the caying collection of massive buildings and on it prospered. In Victorian times it reached climax of the port's expansion. It suffered silted-up docks, as well as being a crumbling its zenith. Huge warehouses, and no fewer appalling damage during World War II, when monument to Liverpool's great heritage, the than 34 docks, were constructed to match the 68 bombing raids destroyed one third and South Docks constitute a barrier between the world's latest and finest ships. The Queen and severely damaged the rest. But it also played a citizens and their famous river, the Mersey. .... Prince Consort visited the port to admire the vital role during those war years, when 4Y2 new developments, including Albert Dock. million troops passed through the port and 7 S Above: two EEC-funded projects in Since then, the Port of Liverpool has con million tons of food and materials were Liverpool- the inner ring road and, tinued to expand and modernise: creeping handled. beyond, the newly-converted Maritime northward along the banks of the Mersey and Post-warreconstruction put the docks back Museum. 3 EUROPE82 Faced with vast operating losses in recent back into effective use, and to attract industry pilotage building and dry docks, the museum years, the Mersey Docks& Harbour company and commerce to the area. was opened to the public. It attracted 60,000 has had enough problems without worrying Much of the finance for this long-term visitors in its first season, which closed last about the areas it has closed down. Since these undertaking will come from public funds, but November. The second phase of develop contain the huge Albert Dock warehouses - money from Europe may well play a part-it ment, assisted again by an ERDF grant of which are listed buildings- the development has already been used to finance initial regen £90,000, a third of the cost - included the of the site by private parties is limited, and eration projects. creation of a large car park and alterations to proposals to do so during the last decade have Merseyside County Council has taken over buildings. come to nothing. a dockside area, Mann Island, close to Liver Sir Alec Rose's 'Lively Lady' was brought Meanwhile, further south, other disused pool's Pier Head, and has established a Mari to the dock as an added attraction. The docks are being used to dump construction time Museum using the old pilotage building, 109,000 visitors who passed through its doors rubble and domestic refuse. And the adjoin associated buildings, extensive cobbled in 1981 were also able to see various skills ing inner city areas of Toxteth and Bootle, quaysides and the two Canning graving such as boatbuilding and sail-making- being with their poor housing and high unemploy docks, which were dry docks built over 200 demonstrated as well as the static exhibitions. ment, seem to have been contaminated by the years ago. Merseyside County Museums has a collec decay which scars the banks of the Mersey. The whole site was semi-derelict when it tion of 20,000 maritime objects, including The problem is of such magnitude that the was acquired. Part of the £512,000 cost of the paintings and ship's equipment, most of Secretary ofState for the Environment, the Rt first phase of its development was offset by a which are in store. These will be used in the Hon Michael Heseltine, MP, has set up the European Regional Development Fund Maritime Museum's exhibitions, which will Merseyside Development Corporation to grant, because the project would be a catalyst change every couple ofyears. The third phase assist with the regeneration of the area. The to the development of South Docks. of development was completed recently- for main priority is to bring land and buildings On completion ofphase one, centred on the which an ERDF grant application has been 4 EUROPE82 made-and this year's visitors will be seeing an about six million square feet of buildings, exhibition of the world's great liners, includ many of which could be used if repaired and ing a 22-foot model of the Titanic. refurbished. The area extends in a long ribbon Impressive though it is, the Maritime adjoining the Gladstone Dock to the north, Museum hopes for bigger and better things in down through the Maritime Museum site, the years ahead. It feasts its eyes on the AJbert and through the whole of the South Docks to Dock warehouse complex, across the Can the Dingle area of Liverpool. ning half-tide basin, and looks forward to the Throughout the development area - and a day when one of the buildings will house a smaller but similar area on the Wirral side of major part ofthe museum. the Mersey, at Wallasey- the Development Corporation will be co-ordinating a combina Over £2 million has so tion ofprivate and public initiatives to revital ise it, industrially, economically and socially.