Early this year the US Administration made reference to "a marked improvement in the relations between the EC and the USA over the period of the last three years" - an astonishing statement in the light of the mounting non-tariff obstacles to trade between the EC and the USA.

The relations between 46 developing countries and the EC had to be reviewed and revised after the expiry of the EC association agreements with the 19 Yaoundé states and the three Arousha states and also because of the accession of Great Britain to the EC which made it necessary to include also...