PNG retains European entry
p. 99 · Read in the full issue
Papua New Guinea’s export market in Britain is safe for the next seven years.
In the first real breakthrough since Britain began negotiations over the terms of her entry into the European Common Market, the negotiators in Brussels agreed on November 24 that Britain could continue imports from PNG during the five-year transitional period, with a promise of a review of the position before the period is up.
This is the only major concession that Australia has been able to achieve for herself or dependent territories. It comes after months of prolonged pressures exerted by the Australian and PNG governments.
The PNG Administration made many appeals and sent people direct to Europe to put the territory’s viewpoint.
Britain at present takes 30 per cent, of all PNG’s exports, mainly of copra, cocoa, tea, coffee and palm oil.
The deadline is January 1, 1978, but Sir Con O’Neill, Britain’s chief Civil Service negotiator, believes that reasonable arrangements to keep the market door open for PNG will be made when time runs out.