Journal of European Integration History – Revue d'histoire de l'
Journal of European Integration History – Revue d'histoire de l'
Journal of European Integration History – Revue d'histoire de l'
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54Markus Schulteexports to Swe<strong>de</strong>n might have been responsible for the stagnation in Germanexports to that country.All in all the export evi<strong>de</strong>nce suggests that the industry could be quite happywith the division between the EEC and EFTA. The fact that exports to France andItaly were those growing the most from mid-1959 is perfectly consistent with thefact that their tariffs on non-ferrous metal products on average were by far the highestin Europe. Hence their lowering within the EEC had a relatively large impact.As far as the specific tariffs <strong>of</strong> most <strong>of</strong> the EFTA countries are concerned, it is hardto assess their actual inci<strong>de</strong>nce. Yet the fact that their level did not change consi<strong>de</strong>rablyvis-à-vis imports from Germany and that the volume <strong>of</strong> EFTA production wasapparently not sufficient to replace them entirely with imports from Britain or othernon-EEC sources left the German position in these markets essentially untouched.Statistical evi<strong>de</strong>nce for imports <strong>of</strong> non-ferrous metal products from the EEC andEFTA shows very clearly that this branch <strong>of</strong> German industry was in<strong>de</strong>ed veryhappy not to have to lower its tariffs vis-à-vis the EFTA members. Given that thetariff levels on these products were relatively high in Germany, their lowering visà-visthe other EEC members led to a shooting up <strong>of</strong> imports from these countriesin the second quarter <strong>of</strong> 1959. This is not only true for imports from the EEC as awhole, but also for imports from all individual member countries. Imports fromEFTA, which continued to be hit by tariffs <strong>of</strong> the same or<strong>de</strong>r <strong>of</strong> magnitu<strong>de</strong>, keptfollowing the 1953-58 trend for the rest <strong>of</strong> the period.Non-ferrous Metal Products <strong>–</strong> ImportsImports <strong>of</strong> non-ferrous metal products from the UK stagnated and remained wellbelow the rising 1953-58 trend, while imports from Switzerland, Swe<strong>de</strong>n, Denmark,Austria and Norway excee<strong>de</strong>d the trend after 1959.The value <strong>of</strong> imports from these countries remained however relatively low,with the combined imports <strong>of</strong> the Benelux countries exceeding the total importsfrom EFTA.Given the steep increase in imports from the other EEC member countries, thereduction <strong>of</strong> tariffs vis-à-vis the Seven would very likely have had a similar effectfor imports from there, mainly from the UK. From the point <strong>of</strong> view <strong>of</strong> the Germanindustry, the fact that imports from Britain stagnated and remained very far belowthe 1953-58 trend must have been seen as a major success. There was certainlynothing that could have induced the industry to agree to any changes in tariff protectionvis-à-vis the Seven which might have endangered that advantageous situation.Given that the EFTA countries had low or zero tariffs on the primary products,while the CET ren<strong>de</strong>red them more expensive for the industries within the EEC, anumber <strong>of</strong> complicated issues would be in the way <strong>of</strong> any solution that could havebeen agreed to by the German non-ferrous metal processing industry. The creation<strong>of</strong> a Europe-wi<strong>de</strong> free tra<strong>de</strong> area would not only have resulted in stronger importpressureson the German market, but would surely have reduced the gains that the