European economic relations
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 15th, 16th and 17th May 1962 (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Sittings) (see Doc. 1430, Report of the Economic Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 17th May 1962 (6th Sitting).
1. The Assembly,
2. Having noted the progress of negotiations and steps to extend the European Economic Community by the accession to, or association with, that Community of other European countries ;
4. Convinced of the importance of successfully concluding as soon as possible the negotiations referred to, particularly those between the Six and the United Kingdom, on which the outcome of all the other negotiations depends, since too long a delay may complicate, rather than facilitate, steps to find the necessary solutions ;
5. Considers, therefore, that, after the conclusion of the preparatory phase of the talks between the United Kingdom and the Six, it is now urgent that the two parties jointly lay down a strict timetable for the continuation of the negotiations, so that all the fundamental decisions necessary to ensure the accession of the United Kingdom to the Common Market may be taken before 1st January 1963 ;
6. Welcomes the decision taken in April 1962 by the Norwegian Government and Parliament to request the opening of negotiations with the Members of the EEC for the accession of Norway to the Common Market ;
7. Hopes that, without awaiting the final period of the negotiations with the United Kingdom, the Six will enter upon the preparatory phase of negotiations with Norway, as they have already done with Denmark, so that the negotiations with these two countries may be concluded almost at the same time as an agreement in principle is reached concerning the accession of the United Kingdom to the Common Market, and that a decision in principle should be taken over Ireland ;
8. Considers that it would be desirable to expedite at the same time negotiations between the EEC and Turkey ;
9. Is of the opinion that it is essential to undertake without delay detailed discussion of the problems arising out of the applications for association with the EEC of the three neutral member countries of the EFTA; to this end it is desirable to convene a preparatory conference of the three neutral countries and EEC ; this conference should prepare the ground for negotiating a pattern of association applicable to those countries ; the agreements proper could thereafter be fairly expeditiously concluded on that basis, subject to individual arrangements providing for the special problems of Austria, Sweden and Switzerland.
