Journal of European Integration History – Revue d'histoire de l'

Industrial Interest in West Germany´s Decision 57French paper exports to Germany almost quadrupled between the second quarterof 1959 and the first quarter of 1960. This does not so much reflect the overallrapid growth of demand but rather the efficiency of protective measures appliedbefore. Given that these measures remained in place vis-à-vis the Seven, the slightincrease in imports from there above the 1953-58 trend is most probably mainlydue to the rising demand for paper and paper products throughout all of Europe.Figure 3.6: Imports of paper and paper products form France compared to the 1953-58 trendDM 10002000018000160001400012000100008000600040002000053-153-354-154-355-155-356-156-357-157-358-158-359-159-360-160-361-161-362-162-363-163-364-164-3quarterst 53-58FranceImports from Sweden, the single most important source of German paperimports, were continuously above the 1953-58 trend from 1958. The value of paperimports from Sweden was persistently higher than that of imports from the entireEEC. In 1953 paper imports from the EEC came up to one fourth of imports fromthe Seven, reached one third in 1958 and half the EFTA value in 1964. It is obviousthat the removal of tariff barriers across Europe would have led to similar inroadsinto the German market by the powerful Scandinavian industries, which, at thesame time might have taken up many of the growing export opportunities elsewherein the EEC. The interest of the German paper and paper products industriesneeds hardly any further analysis. The EEC must surely have been perceived asredemption from the hell which a Europe-wide free trade area would have constitutedfor the German paper industry.