London, 6 July 1960
Secret
Association with the European Economic Community
On 27th May the European Economic Association Committee agreed that the broad choice for the United Kingdom was either to seek a close association with the European Economic Community or to continue to remain aloof from it while doing all we could to mitigate the economic and political dangers of the division in Europe.1 The Prime Minister subsequently circulated a list of questions about the future of the Community, and about the broad political and economic considerations which should determine the choice of policy, and asked that these should be studied by officials of the Departments concerned. These studies have now been carried out, under the auspices of the Economic Steering (Europe) Committee. A report by that Committee is circulated herewith by direction of the Prime Minister.2
1 See UKNA: CAB 134/1819, meeting of Cabinet European Economic Association Committee, 27 May 1960.
2 Document 123.
[UKNA: CAB 129/102 PART 1]