Cabinet Office: European Unit Files (K series)

CAB 193

1971-1990

Records of the Cabinet Office unit set up to co-ordinate HMG's policy during the periods just prior to and subsequent to formal accession to the European Economic Community.

By former reference.

K series

Public Record(s)

English, French, German and Italian

529 file(s)

Open unless otherwise stated

From 2004 Cabinet Office

Series is accruing

Files selected in accordance with PRO Acquisition Policy criteria: the formulation of policy (2.2.1.1), and external relations (2.2.1.3)

The Conservative administration of Edward Heath which came to power in June 1970 was committed to press an application to join the European Economic Community. On 28 July 1970 Geoffrey Rippon was appointed as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in charge of negotiations with the Community. The negotiations were conducted by a small inter-departmental team of officials chaired by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Chancellor reported to the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary.

After agreement on entry terms had been reached the Chancellor of the Duchy's office moved in September 1971 from the FCO to the Cabinet Office, to pilot the accession legislation through Parliament.

Following the agreement on entry terms the UK was routinely consulted on all Community business, and the European Unit was constituted in the Cabinet Office to co-ordinate the UK government response; and in the latter half of 1972 the European Secretariat was established, to discharge the normal Cabinet Office inter-departmental coordination functions arising out of full Community membership effective from 1 January 1973.