Robinson—federalism

For clarification of the political issues involved, Dr A. D. Robinson, of the Political Science Department V.U.W. was contacted. When questioned, he made the following statements.

What kind of political unity are EEC members aiming at?

The EEC counts have been arguing about this among themselves for several years. Their delay in coming to a decision may 'be fortunate for Britain, for if she can enter the EEC fairly quickly, she will have a chance of influencing their discussions.

"At the moment it seems that the likely to be a compromise between the views of General de Gaulle, who strongly believes in the sanctity of the nation state, and those of the European federalists, who strongly favour a form of United States of Europe.

"At present, de Gaulle wants a co-ordination of European defence and foreign policy, at the foreign minister or head of government level. The federalists, strongly represented in the government of France's five EEC partners and in all the national parliaments, want direct election, by universal suffrage, of the present indirectly-elected European Parliament. They desire amalgamation of the executive bodies of the three existing European communities (economic, atomic energy, coal and steel) and the unification of defence and Foreign policy at ministerial level.

"In the long run, the wishes of the federalists are likely to prevail because they are a more permanent force than de Gaulle,"