No. 296 NAI TSCH/3/S15011/B
Memorandum for Government by the Department of Agriculture
'"Green Pool" Conference on Paris, 6th-10th July, 1954.
Report of Irish Delegation'
(6/11/137)
Dublin, 12 August 1954
- Mr. Dillon, Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Cremin, Ambassador in Paris and Mr. Nagle,1 Assistant Secretary, Department of Agriculture, attended the Green Pool Conference in Paris, which opened on 6th July, 1954. All OEEC countries, except Iceland, were represented at the meeting and in addition Spain sent a strong delegation. The majority of the delegations were led by the respective Ministers of Agriculture of the different countries. The French Minister of Agriculture, M. Houdet,2 presided.
- As expected, the opening statements made by the delegates indicated a difference of opinion on the question whether the activities of the Green Pool should be carried on by a new permanent organisation or whether they should be continued within the framework of the OEEC. Germany, Turkey and Belgium were the leading protagonists of a separate Green Pool organisation. Their view seemed to be that European agricultural matters, particularly the question of unification of markets etc., would not receive adequate attention within OEEC. Other delegations, however, including the Netherlands, Greek, Irish and British delegations strongly supported the transfer of the Green Pool activities to OEEC. Mr. Dillon made several statements favouring this course, and opposing the creation of yet another international organisation.
- After a long general discussion in plenary session, a working party was set up with a view to arriving at a compromise resolution which would prove acceptable to the Conference as a whole. After discussions lasting more than a day, the working party submitted the text of a resolution to the plenary conference, which discussed the matter further for over six hours. Just before 9 p.m. on the 10th July, 1954, the plenary conference adopted a final resolution, the text of which is given in the Appendix to this Report.3
- The first part of the resolution mentions the objectives of the Green Pool and draws attention to the importance of continuing work in the field of the integration of European agriculture; the second part provides for discussion of such European agricultural problems being carried on within the framework of OEEC. Under this part of the resolution, representatives of the Green Pool Conference are to meet representatives of the OEEC to settle the arrangements under which the Green Pool activities would be transferred to that body. These conditions would include the establishment of a Committee of Ministers of Agriculture within OEEC which would meet whenever it thought fit, and would be assisted by a Committee of the Ministers’ Deputies. This latter Committee would replace the present Food and Agriculture Committee and would have a higher general status. It is further proposed that the Council of OEEC should be attended say twice a year by Ministers of Agriculture, when matters with an important agricultural bearing would be discussed. Finally the resolution suggests that OEEC should appoint a high official, answerable directly to the Secretary General, to deal with the matters which would come before the Committee of Agricultural Ministers or their deputies.
- The resolution also provides for special arrangements to enable Spain to be associated with the work of OEEC in this field.
- It is to be expected that the discussions which are now to take place with OEEC will prove successful and that, subject to the conditions mentioned above, the Green Pool will cease to exist as a separate entity. There would be a considerable intensification of agricultural work within OEEC.
- During the Conference the Minister for Agriculture entertained to dinner the French and Netherlands Ministers of Agriculture, the Chairman at official level of the OEEC Council, the Deputy Secretary General of OEEC, the leader of the French Delegation to the Green Pool, and the Chairman of the Interim Committee whose Report was one of the main items on the Conference Agenda.
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