Ireland and European integration, 1961-1968

1
Ireland and European integration, 1961-1968

• Dr Maurice FitzGerald
• Lecturer in European and International Studies
• Department of Politics, International Relations
  and European Studies (PIRES)
• Loughborough University
• email m.fitzgerald_at_lboro.ac.uk
• web http//www-staff.lboro.ac.uk/eumf2/index.htm

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abstract

• This paper - Ireland and European integration,
  1961-1968 - argues that one of the most
  important contributions by Seán Lemass, and in
  turn Jack Lynch, in terms of Irish foreign policy
  in the period under examination, has been the way
  in which Ireland now views itself, and the manner
  in which it is itself perceived.
• In personifying strong and pragmatic leadership
  at a time of rapid change, it is argued here that
  there was a major shift in emphasis away from
  overly-active participation at the United Nations
  to the mainstreaming of policy within a
  twin-pronged reorientation that saw improved
  Anglo-Irish relations and fuller support for, and
  participation in, European integration. The
  traditional nationalist and insular outlook of
  Irish politicians in general was radically
  altered by the dynamism of the new political
  elite nurtured under Lemass, and by the Dublin
  governments less jaundiced attitude to the world
  and, in particular, towards Europe. The Lemass
  approach was basically intended to engender
  economic growth, and it did so at the expense of
  political dogma, succeeding to a large extent.
• The attitude to foreign policy was thus marked
  by a significant departure because, as the 1960s
  progressed, the Irish government became ever more
  western in its orientation, less self-absorbed
  and decreasingly likely to be maverick. This led
  to some sacred foreign policy cows being
  challenged, negated and/or reversed, none more so
  than in relation to military neutrality. This
  does not mean that Ireland did not act in its own
  self-interest or that allegiances did not shift,
  that policy was always pursued coherently or that
  mistakes were not made. In truth, though, it can
  be argued that Lemass, and subsequently Lynch,
  helped to modernise attitudes, making them more
  European in essence and nature rather than just
  Gaelic, Anglophobic and/or Atlanticist by
  tradition or reaction, gearing them towards the
  world as it is, rather than how some would wish
  it to be.
• More than that, however, Irish foreign policy
  has never been the same again as a result of this
  period, years in which Ireland sought (1961 to
  1963), and then reapplied (1967), to enter the
  European mainstream.

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liberal intergovernmentalist view

• how were European integration policies viewed in
  Ireland during the first half of the 1960s?
• industrial tariff removal reluctantly accepts
  tariff removal, while trying to work at ways
  around it, fears dumping and for the future of
  indigenous industry, but even if it needs time to
  adapt it generally favours the free movement of
  goods and the elimination of duties and
  quantitative restrictions between member states,
  and is increasingly keen on attracting foreign
  direct investment
• CAP under pressure from farmers who were
  strongly in favour, the government would like to
  have had an input in shaping the actual policy,
  even if it is fundamentally disposed to the idea
  anyway
• external tariff policy slow to respond to GATT,
  it wants high agricultural protection, but needs
  time so that it could gradually come into line
  with EC policy
• British membership realises that if the UK is
  in it must be in as well because, while admission
  will require constitutional change, its main fear
  is being left out in the cold happy to conclude
  the AIFTA as a precursor to EC internal trade
  harmonisation
• transport worries about the country's
  peripheral nature, the government wants only
  gradual liberalisation, but was not going to look
  for derogations or any special arrangements
• foreign policy cooperation weakly in favour of
  European cooperation, but wants to avoid making
  military neutrality an issue at home or in
  Brussels, though in practice this means that it
  is opposed to NATO while supporting an eventual
  but as yet undefined European defence mechanism,
  at least in rhetoric
• institutions not interested in the ECSC or
  Euratom although it will join both, it is
  strongly in favour of the EEC by the end of this
  period, and wants an equal voice in decisions,
  thus tacitly supporting the Luxembourg
  compromise realises early on that it will have
  to accept, and provide constitutionally for, the
  acquis communautaire, but is quite happy with
  other benefits such as the European Investment
  Bank and the European Social Fund
• This table is based on the model presented in
  Andrew Moravcsik, The choice for Europe social
  purpose and state power from Messina to
  Maastricht (Ithaca, NY Cornell University Press,
  1998), pp.162-163, and adapted from appendix xi
  - Irish preferences according to Moravcsik's
  model of Common Market consolidation in Maurice
  FitzGerald, Ireland and the EEC, 1957 to 1966
  (Florence EUI PhD thesis, 1999), p.424

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timeline, 1961 to 1968

• 5 July 1961 Dublin government aide-mémoire almost
  sinks Irish application before it is even
  submitted
• 31 July 1961 Ireland applies to join the EEC
  ten days before the United Kingdom and Denmark
  do the same
• November 1961 negotiations for UK entry open, but
  the EEC Council of Ministers does not approve
  Irish proposals for negotiations to begin until
  October 1962
• 14 January 1963 Charles de Gaulle effectively
  vetoes the UKs application, and Irelands
  application falls into limbo
• November 1966 Seán Lemass resigns as taoiseach,
  and is replaced by Jack Lynch
• 11 May 1967 Ireland reactivates its EEC and ECSC
  applications, and submits a Euratom application
• November 1967 de Gaulle vetoes the UKs second
  application, and once more Irelands EEC
  application stalls

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relevant Irish government figures
Seán Lemass taoiseach, 1959-1966
Jack Lynch taoiseach, 1966-1973 1977-1979
T.K.Whitaker D/F secretary, 1955-1969
Frank Aiken D/EA minister, 1951-1954 1957-1969
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EEC application, 31 July 1961

• treaty basis and Irish government application
• On 31 July 1961, the Irish government submitted
  its application (see across) for full EEC
  membership under the relevant provision in the
  Treaty establishing the European Economic
  Community, Article 237 EEC it read as follows
• Any European State may apply to become a member
  of the Community. It shall address its
  application to the Council, which shall act
  unanimously after obtaining the opinion of the
  Commission. The conditions of admission and the
  adjustments to this Treaty necessitated thereby
  shall be the subject of an agreement between the
  Member States and the applicant State. This
  agreement shall be submitted for ratification by
  all the Contracting States in accordance with
  their respective constitutional requirements.

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ECSC application, 7 January 1963

• treaty basis and Irish government application
• On 14 January 1963, the Irish government
  presented its application (see across) for full
  ECSC membership under the relevant provision in
  the Treaty establishing the European Coal and
  Steel Community, Article 98 ECSC it read as
  follows
• Any European State may apply to accede to this
  Treaty. It shall address its application to the
  Council, which shall act unanimously after
  obtaining the opinion of the High Authority the
  Council shall also determine the terms of
  accession, likewise acting unanimously.
  Accession shall take effect on the day when the
  instrument of accession is received by the
  Government acting as depositary of this Treaty .

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other alternatives?

• the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area agreement of
  December 1965
• associate EC membership?
• the European Free Trade Association?
• other foreign policy developments?
• the abatement of United Nations activism?
• the end of military neutrality?
• the normalisation of relations with Northern
  Ireland?

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Euratom application, 10 May 1967

• treaty basis and Irish government application
• On 11 May 1967, the Irish government presented
  its application (see across) for full Euratom
  membership under the relevant provision in the
  Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy
  Community, Article 205 Euratom it read as
  follows
• Any European State may apply to become a member
  of the Community. It shall address its
  application to the Council, which shall act
  unanimously after obtaining the opinion of the
  Commission. The conditions of admission and the
  adjustments to the Treaty necessitated thereby
  shall be the subject of an agreement between the
  Member States and the applicant State. This
  agreement shall be submitted for ratification by
  all the Contracting States in accordance with
  their respective constitutional requirements .

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renewed ECSC application, 10 May 1967

• renewed Irish government application
• On 11 May 1967, the Irish government renewed its
  application (see across) for full ECSC membership.

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renewed EEC application, 10 May 1967

• renewed Irish government application
• On 11 May 1967, the Irish government renewed its
  application (see across) for full EEC membership.

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conclusions

• why did Irelands 1961-1963 and 1967 EEC
  applications really fail?
• how did Dublin governments really perceive the
  economic and political exigencies of European
  integration?
• what was the situation Ireland faced once its
  second application did not succeed?