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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, APRIL 5, 1985
PAGE 9
ginning to wonder what the benefits of membership are going to
be. The first point that seems to have made an impact is the
down-to-earth fact that prices will go up owing to the EC's
system of value-added tax.
"Our small businesses are already sinking. What's going to hap
pen when that tax is added? I'm not thrilled. I'm plain wor
ried," says Jose Cepero, who runs a small household goods store
in Madrid. "I trust the government knows what it got us into.
They didn't tell us what it's all about, and the people simply
don't know," he adds. For the most part, the daily press barrage
of technicalities in the negotiations has failed to contribute a
clearer picture of Europe....
Most likely to benefit from accession will be Spain's agricul
ture, although profits may be marginal as Spain already exports
50 percent of its fruits and vegetables to Europe•••• Accession
will be felt most by Spain's industry. Whereas EC markets were
already opened to Spain under a 1970 preferential trade agree
ment, the reverse was not true. Now Spain will have to lower its
barriers, introduce a value-added tax, and modernize produc
tion•••• Accession will mean the moment of truth for the small
and medium-sized enterprises that dominate the Spanish econ
omy••••
On another level, the free movement of workers throughout Europe
will give Spanish society a new perspective.
Manuel Marin,
Spain's secretary of state for European affairs, says: "Spaniards
will be able to go all over Europe•••• Our society, which has
long been isolated•••will gain."
The other morning I had an interesting experience via my shortwave radio.
At about 6:10 am I came across an English-language commentary regarding the
entry of Spain and Portugal into the EC. It was a very favorable report,
and expressed the hopes that the growth of the EC could lead to a more
unified Europe. After the report was finished came the announcement that
the audience was tuned to "Radio Beijing."
It's obvious that the Chinese
still advocate a strong Europe to counterbalance the Soviets. This should
dampen somewhat the speculations that the Chinese and Russians, under Mr.
Gorbachev, will quickly mend their fences. While there is some movement in
this direction, the Chinese are being very cautious toward both super
powers. Because Beijing has opened up considerably toward Washington, Chi
nese leaders want to show some attention to Moscow as well so as not to pro
ject a pro-u.s. position.
This third expansion of the Common Market (Britain, Ireland and Denmark
joined on January 1, 1973 and Greece on January 1, 1981) raises the old
question again of whether the Community is becoming essentially ungovern
able. In this regard a committee was set up by the EC last year to make
recommendations to streamline the Community's functions. It has been re
ported that the committee, headed by former Irish Foreign Minister James
Dooge, suggests that the right of individual EC countries to veto Common
Market policies should be much more strictly limited. Such a policy would
be strenuously opposed by some members, most notably the British. But it is
believed that both the French and the German views are much more in line
with the Dooge committee recommendations regarding majority rather than