Decolonization and European economic integration: The free trade area negotiations, 1956-58

Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History

Volumn 24, Issue 3, 1996, Pages 444-463

  Schenk, Catherine R ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW   (United Kingdom)

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[No Author keywords available]

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EID: 0030305946     PISSN: 03086534     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/03086539608582987     Document Type: Article

References (66)

1. 1. A recent exception is L.J. Butler, 'Winds of Change: Britain, Europe and the Commonwealth 1959-61', in B. Brivati and H. Jones (eds.), From Reconstruction to Integration: Britain and Europe since 1945 (Leicester, 1993), 157-65. Newton has examined European integration in the context of wider Sterling Area relations although not explicitly in relation to decolonization. C.C.S. Newton, 'Britain, the Sterling Area and European Integration, 1945-50', Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, 13, 3 (1985), 163-82.
2. 1. A recent exception is L.J. Butler, 'Winds of Change: Britain, Europe and the Commonwealth 1959-61', in B. Brivati and H. Jones (eds.), From Reconstruction to Integration: Britain and Europe since 1945 (Leicester, 1993), 157-65. Newton has examined European integration in the context of wider Sterling Area relations although not explicitly in relation to decolonization. C.C.S. Newton, 'Britain, the Sterling Area and European Integration, 1945-50', Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, 13, 3 (1985), 163-82.
3. 2. Milward notes that this was the Treasury view in 1955. A.S. Milward, The European Rescue of the Nation-State (London, 1992), 426.
4. 3. M. Camps, 'Missing the Boat at Messina and Other Times?' in Brivati and Jones (eds.), From Reconstruction to Integration, 134-43, 141.
5. 4. See, for example, Butler, 'Winds of Change'.
6. 5. Text of Maudling's speech to Council of Europe Assembly on 23 Oct. 1957, Public Record Office (hereafter PRO) PREM 11/2531.
7. 6. J. Darwin, Britain and Decolonisation: the retreat from empire in the post-war world (London, 1988), 234-5.
8. 7. These arguments are made with greater emphasis on trade between Britain and the Dominions in C.R. Schenk, Britain and the Sterling Area: from devaluation to convertibility in the 1950s (London, 1994).
9. 8. D. MacDougall and M. Hutt, 'Imperial Preference: a quantitative analysis', Economic Journal, LXIV, 254 (1954), 233-57, 256-7.
10. 9. Draft paper by Colonial Office for Secretary of State, 6 March 1958, PRO, T 234/227.
11. 10. Board of Trade paper, 30 Nov. 1956, T 234/223.
12. 11. Extract from Economic Steering Committee minutes, 5 Nov. 1958, T 234/221.
13. 12. Maudling to Macmillan, advice for Macmillan's discussion with de Gaulle, 27 June 1958, PREM 11/2531.
14. 13. Telegram to Commonwealth High Commissioners, 11 Sept. 1956, T 234/213.
15. 14. P.J. Cain and A.G. Hopkins, British Imperialism; Crisis and Deconstruction 1914-1990 (London, 1993), 287. This is explored in greater detail in C.R. Schenk, 'The Sterling Area and British Policy Alternatives in the 1950s', Contemporary Record, 6 (2) (1992), 266-86. Existing preferences in the British market were, of course, vigorously defended by the Commonwealth.
16. 14. P.J. Cain and A.G. Hopkins, British Imperialism; Crisis and Deconstruction 1914-1990 (London, 1993), 287. This is explored in greater detail in C.R. Schenk, 'The Sterling Area and British Policy Alternatives in the 1950s', Contemporary Record, 6 (2) (1992), 266-86. Existing preferences in the British market were, of course, vigorously defended by the Commonwealth.
17. 15. Maudling to Prime Minister, 5 Aug. 1958, PREM 11/2531.
18. 16. Ghana and Malaya achieved constitutional independence during this period.
19. 17. The data for the figures differ from that of Table 2 which includes only manufactures. Data for all figures is from OEEC, Direction of International Trade.
20. 18. See Schenk, Britain and the Sterling Area, Chapter 3.
21. 19. The best description of these negotiations is M. Camps, Britain and the European Community 1955-1963 (London, 1964). She mentions the link to colonial policy only briefly on pp. 118-19. Morgan also mentions the FTA plans but, again, not in the context of decolonisation. D.J. Morgan, The Official History of Colonial Development Volume III: A Reassessment of British Aid Policy, 1951-65 (London, 1980), 9-12.
22. 19. The best description of these negotiations is M. Camps, Britain and the European Community 1955-1963 (London, 1964). She mentions the link to colonial policy only briefly on pp. 118-19. Morgan also mentions the FTA plans but, again, not in the context of decolonisation. D.J. Morgan, The Official History of Colonial Development Volume III: A Reassessment of British Aid Policy, 1951-65 (London, 1980), 9-12.
23. 20. R.A. Butler to Harold Macmillan, 24 Aug. 1957, PREM 11/2531.
24. 21. Telegram from Singapore, 8 Oct. 1956, T 234/223.
25. 22. The Six refers to the founding members of the EEC: Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, France, Italy, West Germany.
26. 23. Brief for Prime Minister's visit to Paris, undated (early March 1957), PREM 11/2133.
27. 24. Telegram from Bonn to Foreign Office, 18 Dec. 1956, T 234/223.
28. 25. The Belgian Congo was contracted out of the investment fund so most of the money was allocated for the benefit of French territories.
29. 26. Telegram from Tanganyika, 1 Oct. 1956, T 234/223. Telegram from pKenya, 13 Oct. 1956, T 234/223. Ghana, Nigeria, Tanganyika, Kenya, and Uganda later refused to accept associate status with the EEC in 1962 for the same reasons. Camps, Britain and the European Community, 440-1.
30. 27. This also raised problems for Portugal as an imperial power negotiating to join the FTA.
31. 28. Macmillan to Chancellor of the Exchequer, 5 March 1957, PREM 11/2133.
32. 29. Telegram from Paris to Foreign Office, 18 Feb. 1957, T 234/223.
33. 30. Telegram from Bonn to Foreign Office, 24 Feb. 1957, T 234/223.
34. 31. Record of Prime Minister's meeting with M. Pineau, 9 March 1957, PREM 11/2133.
35. 32. Telegram from Paris to Foreign Office, 23 March 1957, T 234/224.
36. 33. Ibid.
37. 34. Record of Meeting of OEEC Ministerial Council, Telegram to Commonwealth High Commissioners, 19 Feb. 1957, T 234/214.
38. 35. Telegram to Colonies re: Anglo-French talks on 6 May 1957, 16 May 1957, T 234/225.
39. 36. Report by Economic Steering Committee of Cabinet, 22 March 1957, T 234/224. This was reconfirmed in October, Memorandum for Ministers by the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Closer Economic Association with Europe, 4 Oct. 1957, T 234/226.
40. 37. It was HMG's hope that the Commonwealth 'should make a good deal of the running' against the Rome Treaty in GATT. Telegram to Colonial Governors, 21 Oct. 1957, T 234/226.
41. 38. The British position differed from that of the independent Commonwealth which wanted lo object in the GATT to the Rome Treaty in its entirety. New Zealand and Australia, especially, stood to lose from the inclusion of temperate foodstuffs in the European Common Market.
42. 39. Memorandum by the Colonial Office, 20 Sept. 1957, T 234/226.
43. 40. Report by the Economic Steering Committee for the Chancellor of lhe Exchequer, 22 March 1957, T 234/224.
44. 41. West Germany was expected to be sympathetic since its consumers would bear the heaviest burden from preferential tariffs on coffee and cocoa.
45. 42. Board of Trade report to Colonial Office, 30 May 1957, PRO, CO 852/1730.
46. 43. Brief for Meetings with The Six in Brussels, 19 June 1957, CO 852/1730.
47. 44. Ibid.
48. 45. Telegram from Brussels to Foreign Office, 20 June 1957, CO 852/1730.
49. 46. B. Trend to Macmillan, 1 May 1957, PREM 11/2133.
50. 47. Malta wanted to be included because of its proximity to Europe.
51. 48. Telegram to the Colonial Governors, 7 April 1957, T 234/225. See also Secretary of State for the Colonies to Chancellor of the Exchequer, 3 May 1957, PREM 11/2133.
52. 49. Telegram from Grantham in Hong Kong, 13 April 1957, T 234/225.
53. 50. See correspondence in T 234/226.
54. 51. Telegram from Kenya to Colonial Office, 23 April 1957, T 234/225.
55. 52. 'The FTA, the EEC and OT', report for Ministers, 25 April 1957, T 234/225.
56. 53. Telegram from Kenya, 7 Oct. 1957, T 234/226.
57. 54. Telegram to Kenya, 18 Oct. 1957, T 234/226. Mauritius also expressed concern in October and alerted the British that if agriculture were included then Mauritius would like to be included in the Common Market and not merely the FTA. Telegram from Mauritius. 3 Oct. 1957, T 234/226.
58. 55. Extract from Report of the Consultative Assembly by the Study Group for the Development of Africa, Council of Europe, 12 Sept. 1957, T 234/226.
59. 56. Minutes of a Meeting of Foreign Office and Colonial Office with representatives of the Council of Europe, 14 Oct. 1957, T 234/226.
60. 57. Ibid.
61. 58. Minutes of the Third Meeting of Commonwealth Officials, 9 July 1957, CAB133/192.
62. 59. Maudling to Macmillan, 6 Dec. 1957, PREM 11/2531.
63. 60. Telegram from Secretary of State for the Colonies to Colonial Governors, 18 Oct. 1957, T 234/226.
64. 61. Note by Roger Makins of a talk with Baron Snoy, 20 Jan. 1958, T 234/219. In a communication to the OEEC regarding the FTA in October 1958, the EEC suggested that the name of any such arrangement should be called a European Economic Association instead of a Free Trade Area. Negotiations for a European Free Trade Area; documents relating to the negotiations from July, 1956, to Dec., 1958 (HMSO, 1959), 97.
65. 62. Telegram to British High Commissioners in the Commonwealth, 19 March 1958, T 234/219.
66. 63. For an account of the demise of the negotiations, see PREM 11/2532.