Britain's Entry into the European Community

In January 1972 Britain signed the Treaty of Acccession to the European Community. Sir Con O'Neill, a key figure in the negotiations, gives an analysis of negotiations which had an impact on Britain's relations with Europe, and insights into the processes of multilateral diplomacy. <p>Part 1: Preliminaries, procedures, organisation, objectives and tactics: from May 1967 to June 1970; the basis of the negotiations; procedure in the negotiations; the character of the negotiations; organisation; information; United Kingdom objectives and tactics. Part 2: The problems of the negotiations and how they were solved: summary and sequence: from the start to the breakthrough: 30 June, 1970 to 23 June, 1971; summary and sequence: from the breakthrough to the end: 29 June 1971 to 22 January, 1972; transitional measures and periods; transitional measures for tariffs and agricultural prices; sugar, and association for developing commonwealth territories: the background; sugar, and association for developing commonwealth territories: the outcome; sterling; New Zealand: the background; New Zealand: negotiations and outcome; community finance: the background; community finance: the struggle; community finance: the outcome; the common commercial policy; the other communities; miscellaneous questions I; miscellaneous questions II; miscellaneous questions III; fisheries: the background; fisheries: the first twelve months; fisheries: the last twelve months. Part 3: Our friends and partners: Section 1: Outside the community: our fellow candidates; others concerned. Section 2: Inside the community: the Commission; the five; France: a general appraisal; the road to the Health-Pompidou Summit. Part 4: Reflections on the negotiations: this time the luck ran our way; did we make mistakes?; did we get a good bargain?</p>