Reply to the 14th an 15th annual reports of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 7 October 1975 (15th and 16th Sittings) (see Doc. 3661see Doc. 3661, report of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development). Text adopted by the Assembly on 7 October 1975 (16th Sitting).
The Assembly
1. Takes note of the 14th and 15th annual reports of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) (
Doc. 3469 and
Doc. 3646), and of the report of its Committee on Economic Affairs and Development (
Doc. 3661) ;
2. Congratulates EFTA on its fifteenth anniversary, and appreciates the important contribution it has made to European integration in the fifteen years of its existence ;
3. Expresses its satisfaction at the progress in the abolition of customs duties on industrial products as provided for in the seven free trade agreements between each EFTA country and the European Communities ;
4. Regrets, however, that the implementation of Protocol No. 6 to the free trade agreement between Iceland and the European Communities, concerning fish imports in the latter, has not yet become effective pending a satisfactory solution to the conflict over the Icelandic fishery limits, and in particular that between the Federal Republic of Germany and Iceland on fishing rights in Icelandic waters, and urges the two countries concerned to reach as soon as possible an agreement on this question in a spirit of European understanding and co-operation ;
5. Attaches the greatest importance to the continued joint efforts of EFTA and the European Communities further to simplify and improve the "rules of origin" provided for in the Stockholm Convention establishing the Association and in the free trade agreements between each of the EFTA countries and the European Community ;
6. Supports the continued efforts by EFTA to eliminate as much as possible non-tariff barriers to trade, and commends the schemes and conventions on the mutual recognition of tests, inspection and control of certain articles, concluded in the framework of EFTA, but open to participation by other countries, as useful instruments for this purpose ;
7. Emphasises the important role EFTA can play in assisting Portugal in its economic development :
8. Welcomes the increased consultation within EFTA on economic and monetary policies concerning the EFTA countries' positions in other international organisations such as GATT, IMF and OECD, since such consultation could contribute to the framing of a general European policy on the matters in question ;
9. Considers, in particular, that the present high rates of inflation at world level entail a serious threat to the balance-of-payments and employment situations of the EFTA countries, and calls on the EFTA Council and the Joint EFTA/Finland Council to continue to contribute to the wider international efforts to combat inflation, in particular in OECD ;
10. Reiterates the hope that EFTA will continue to make a significant contribution to European integration by developing economic relations with all European countries.
