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2 J. Common Mkt. Stud. 1 (1963-1964)

handle is hein.journals/jcmks2 and id is 1 raw text is: BRITAIN OUT OF EUROPE? By Roy PRYCE 'THE end of a chapter, but not the end of the story.' These were brave words on the part of Mr. Heath when he returned, somehow still intact, after the final collapse of negotiations in Brussels on January 29th. But since then there has been no sign that anyone, on either side of the Channel, has any clear idea of how, when, or under what circumstances, the United Kingdom's attempt to become part of the Community can be renewed. And it is indeed difficult to give answers to any of these problems. So difficult, in fact, that one has to ask whether we have already reached the parting of the ways. This is a harsh question to put to those who, like myself, have been- and remain-firmly convinced of the desirability of entry. But it has to be faced. It would not be by any means the first time in the history of Western Europe's post-war search for unity that what was desirable proved to be impracticable. There is a great deal of diplomatic wreck- age which has had to be quietly buried in the archives-the European Defence Community, the European Political Community, and the European Free Trade Area, for instance. And Britain's own search for a new relationship with the Continent has been especially marked by false hopes and unreal expectations. The European Free Trade Associa- tion was created in the belief that this would aid, rather than impede, an agreement with the Community; and the Six themselves talked hopefully at one time of a 'European Economic Association' which never became more than a form of words. In short, the last thing one should expect after the failure of a negotiation is that somehow, some time, all will be well. At all events, the least we can do is to take a careful look at the reasons why the negotiations failed, to see what useful lessons can be learnt; to examine what has taken place subsequently, in an attempt to discern what factors are now at work on the Continent; and-finally- to analyse the situation in Britain itself, to see what forces may facilitate or impede a renewed attempt at membership. As far as the breakdown itself is concerned, the official view of the British Government was expressed by Mr. Macmillan in his television broadcast on January 3oth. He then said: The only explanation for what has happened is this: The French Government hoped that the thing would break down for one reason or another--either because 1

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