1.
SV INT. delegates talking.
0.05

2.
SV Luxembourg Minister.
0.10

3.
MV Mr. Mansholt
0.16

4.
MV West German delegate.
0.22

5.
MV President
0.30

6.
SCU Italian delegate
0.38

7.
MV Belgian delegate
0.45

8.
MV French delegate seated.
0.48

9.
MV President seated.
0.54

10.
GV delegates seated.
1.00



Initials VS/0.28 VS/0.40



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: At the 151st session of the European Common Market Ministers, the member nations approved the mechanism for a controversial tax on fats and oil imports. The tax would come into effect whenever domestic production needed protection, and if applied would hit the Common Market's main suppliers, including the United States. Community officials said that the tax is not the same as the so-called "margarine tax", although the same products would be affected. The margarine tax drew a formal protest from the United States, when it was proposed two years ago.

According to Common Market officials, the tax agreed upon at the meeting in Brussels on Monday (25 May) is not likely to be applied in the near future, due to present high levels of fats and oil prices on the world market.