Freer Trade Plan For Western Europe

Chronicle (Levin), 31 October 1949, Page 5

Freer Trade Plan For Western Europe

(N.Z.P.A.—

- Reuter .

Copyriaht)

Recei vcd Sundav 5.30 p.m. PARIS, Oct. 3(1. Sir Stafford Cripps has presented WtMeni Lurope's eight -mau. ei-ononiic "('abinel" with a plan for freer trade in Western Europe. The "Cubinet" — a consulative coinxnittee of ihe Organisation for European Economic C'o-operation — is trying tu i-reate a broad European market with free trade and payments. O.E.E.C. utiicials would not divulge the details (i 1" the Cripps plan, but described it as "i'ar less ambitious and spectacular thau other suggestions \ve. have had, but far more immediate and practicul. ' ; fine otliciai cominented: "Sir Staf ford has his feet u ell on the ground. " Mr Paui Iloffman, Econoiuic Co-oper-atiun Adininistrato:', who is here for ne\t week 's meeting of O.E.E.C., said ln- was "generally optimistic about the pi uspect s of eventual European unity." Ile added that only if Europe becomes a single market cun it realise its great poi entialities. ' ' The Associated Press 's eorrespon-«h-nt says Sir Stafford (.'ripps presented to the "Cabinet" members for the eight kev Western European countries a proposal to free fifty per cent of their trade with one another by a fixed date next. vear. O.E.E.C. has asked the members to end the system by which they lix piiofas on virtually all iniports from one another. It has been estimated that the iirst list of products to be freed affects about one-third of inter-Eiiropeas trade. Sir Stafford Cripps now wants to xai-e this f o one-lialf and set a dead line.