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Joint Statement Following Meeting With Dr. Walter Hallstein, President of the European Economic Community.
May 16, 1961

THE PRESIDENT and Dr. Walter Hallstein, President of the Commission of the European Economic Community, met at the White House on May 16.

The President took the occasion to reaffirm the strong support of the U.S. Government for the European Economic Community and the movement toward European integration as envisaged by the Treaty of Rome. The President and Dr. Hallstein were in full agreement that the European integration movement of the six signatory countries of the Treaty of Rome complements and reinforces the progressive development of a true Atlantic Community which will be given new impetus by the coming-into-force of the OECD.

The President and Dr. Hallstein discussed the current state of relations between the U.S. and the European Economic Community. The President took the occasion to reiterate the interest of the U.S. in the preliminary discussions now under way looking toward the establishment of a common agricultural policy within the European Economic Community. While fully endorsing the establishment of a common agricultural policy as an essential prerequisite to the implementation of the Rome Treaty, the President expressed the hope that a common agricultural policy would take into account the importance of agricultural commodities in the overall pattern of free world trade and the interest of the United States and other agricultural exporting countries.

The President and Dr. Hallstein also discussed the tariff negotiations now in progress in Geneva within the framework of the GATT. The President and Dr. Hallstein are agreed that these negotiations should be conducted in such a manner as to assist the adjustment of non-member countries to the coming into effect of the European Economic Community. In this connection, the President and Dr. Hallstein discussed in particular the effect of the coming into existence of the EEC upon trade with the Latin-American countries.

With regard to the association of African States with the EEC, the President and Dr. Hallstein also discussed the need for a sustained, increased and coordinated flow of development and technical assistance to the less-developed countries.