journal of european integration history revue d'histoire de l ...

France and the Claims for Social Harmonization in the European Economic Community 99
duce a result that would be used to justify a French demand for a levelling up of the
costs in other countries to French standards. 75 The Germans were convinced that a
more comprehensive investigation would prove that the importance of social harmonization
was over-estimated. This was probably why the Ministry referred to the
question of social harmonization as a false problem. Nevertheless, it was considered
a problem and one that, on account of negotiating tactics, would have to be
solved as soon as possible. 76
Months went by before a solution was reached. In the time that passed, the discussion
centred around which matters ought to be investigated in order to decide whether
social costs did constitute a trade distortion or not. France demanded an investigation
into the significance of equal pay, overtime pay and paid holidays. Germany pressed for
a more comprehensive investigation into the part constituted by direct and indirect wages
on net production value of industrial production in the Six states. 77
The Bundeswirtschaftsministerium considered rightly that the problem of social
harmonization was political. The Ministry was on the other hand wrong when assuming
that the French government made use of this question in order to prevent
the setting up of a common market that they were opposed to. Still, that was what
they believed, and from that point of view Germany was now confronted with two
possible options. On the one hand, they could by means of an appropriate investigation
do away with the problem and simultaneously provide the French supporters
of the Common Market with arguments against their opponents. On the other hand,
it could be that the French were out to bring the negotiations to an end over this
question. In that case the matter would have to be treated in a way that ensured that
France was left with the blame, and in a way that guaranteed that Germany could
not be accused of being socially reactionary. In Ludwig Erhard’s opinion the
French claims were impossible, but in first instance they would still have to be met.
He was convinced of the need to bring the topic up to the highest political level. 78
This was also what finally happened.
Prior to this, the French upped the stakes in order to get their way. When the
delegations met in Brussels on July 26 Faure urged quick action, emphasizing the
positive climate created by the recent debate over Euratom in the National Assembly.
He stressed the fact that a governmental crisis could provoke a situation that
would give the opponents of a common market time to organize. However, his efforts
were fruitless. A decision was taken to postpone the question of social harmonization
until the beginning of September when the heads of delegations were to
present their objections to the system for social harmonization envisaged in the
Spaak-report. 79 When the delegations met again on September 13 Faure proceeded
in a more decisive manner. This time he stressed the special difficulties faced by
75. BA, B146/594a, Kurzprotokoll über die Ressortbesprechung vom 3. Juli 1956 im Auswärtigen Amt.
76. Ibid.
77. BA, B146/594a, Harmonisierung der Soziallasten im Gemeinsamen Markt, 10.07.56.
78. BA, B146/594a, Ressortbesprechung über Angleichung der Soziallasten im Gemeinsamen Markt
bei Herrn Minister Erhard am 25.07.1956.
79. BA, B146/593, Kurzprotokoll über die Ressortbesprechung vom 27.07.56 im Auswärtigen Amt.