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ABSTRACT
This article analyses Cold War Romania’s conceptualization of its relations with the European Economic Community (EEC) and its struggle to influence the policy of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) towards the EEC in a way compatible with Bucharest’s interests. Addressing a significant historiographical gap, in a sense, this study investigates the origins of Romania–EU relations. Multi-archival in approach, it argues that the period between 1969 and 1974 represents the formative years of Romania–EEC relations. Exploring the political rationale behind Romania’s attitude towards the Common Market, the article finds that the country’s ‘strategy’ in this respect had three main characteristics: it was pragmatic, active and, to some point, adaptive; drawing heavily from Romania’s previous position, it took shape in the early 1970s; and, although it seemed to focus on the commercial aspects of relations, it reflected a far more complex interaction between the two political and social systems than previously acknowledged.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1. See, for instance, Sophia Davidova and Kenneth J. Thomson, Romanian Agriculture and Transition Towards the EU; David Phinnemore, ed., The EU and Romania; Papadimitriou and Phinnemore, Romania and the European Union; Gallagher, Romania and the European Union; Wagner, ed., Romania and the European Union; Mateescu, Aderarea la Uniunea Europeană și comerțul exterior al României [The adhering to the European Union and Romania’s foreign trade]; Brihan, România în Uniunea Europeană [Romania in the European Union]; Murgescu, “Romania.”
2. Papadimitriou and Phinnemore, Romania and the European Union, 18–19; Gallagher, Romania and the European Union, 16; Zaharia, Politica externă a României de la izolare la începerea negocierilor de aderare la Uniunea Europeană [Romania’s foreign policy from isolation to the accession negotiations with the European Union], 98–102.
3. For instance, Stone, Satellites and Commissaries, 130–2; 151–3; Metcalf, The CMEA, 57–61; 84–91; Mueller, “Recognition in Return for Détente? Brezhnev, the EEC, and the Moscow Treaty with West Germany, 1970–1973.”
4. Crump and Godard, “Reassessing Communist International Organizations.”
5. Băncilă, România în Consiliul de Ajutor Economic Reciproc, 74–5.
6. About a Close Economic Collaboration of the USSR and the People’s Democracies, 8 January 1949, ANIC, CC of RCP, Economic Section, File 58/1949, 14–18, published in Elena Dragomir, “The Creation of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance as seen from the Romanian Archives,” 377–9.
7. The Treaty of Rome, 25 March 1957, at https://ec.europa.eu/romania/sites/romania/files/tratatul_de_la_roma.pdf, accessed on 10 September 2019.
8. Trachtenberg, A Constructed Peace, 13–17.
9. For a detailed analysis of the Eastern European states’ positions towards the EEC, see van Ham, The EC, Eastern Europe and European Unity, 58–61.
10. For instance, Anghel, “Piața Comună” și “Euratomul” [The “Common Market and the “Euratom”], 1–70; See also Scînteia, 6 July 1957; 20 July 1957; 5 January 1958; Informația Bucureștiului, 8 July 1957; 23 January 1958; Timpuri noi, No. 11/1957; No. 28/1957.
11. For instance, Anghel, “Piața Comună” și “Euratomul,” 182–98.
12. For instance, Scînteia, 6 July 1957; 20 July 1957; 5 January 1958.
13. For instance, Anghel, “Piața Comună” și “Euratomul.”
14. For instance, Chivu Stoica’s Speech at the Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Romanian Workers’ Party (CC of RWP), 14 December 1957, The Romanian National Historical Archives (ANIC), Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party (CC of RCP), Office, File 57/1957, 46–80. Bucharest, Romania: The Romanian NationalHistorical Archives.
15. The 1960 Moscow Declaration, at The Marxist Internet Archive, https://www.marxists.org/history/international/comintern/sino-soviet-split/other/1960statement.htm, accessed on 15 May 2019.
16. Stanciu, “Aspecte privind relațiile economice ale RPR în anii ‘50’ [Aspects regarding the economic relations of the Romanian People’s Republic],” 44–9; Moraru, Politica externă a României, 1958–1964 [Romania’s foreign policy, 1958–1964], 58–78.
17. Interview with Ion Gheorghe Maurer, in Lavinia Betea, Partea lor de adevăr [Their part of truth], 510.
18. Aioanei, “Atitudinea unor partide comuniste din Europa față de Piața Comună, la începutul anilor ‘60’” [The attitude of some communist parties from Europe towards the Common Market, at the beginning of the 1960s], 157.
19. Nistor, Admiterea României comuniste în ONU, 243.
20. White, Britain, Détente and Changing East–West Relations, 50.
21. The Evolution of the Romanian-German Accord, 1954–1956, Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU), Florence, Italy, CEAB 3, File 214, 1–6.
22. Addresses from February 1958, HAEU, CEAB 3, File 249, 1–4.
23. Romania’s Foreign Trade in 1970, Report of the French Embassy in Romania, October 1971, HAEU, File CM2/1971, No. 1569.
24. Report on the Activity of the CC of the RWP, Submitted to the Second Congress of the RWP, 23–28 December 1955, Editura de Stat pentru Literatură Politică, București, 1956, 28–31.
25. In a 2014 article, Christian Domnitz addressed the question of how the governments from Czechoslovakia, Poland and the German Democratic Republic presented the economic cooperation with the West to their domestic population. Domnitz, “National Separation, Controlled Co-operation.”
26. Kostecki, East–West Trade and the GATT System, 10–11.
27. White, Britain, Détente and Changing East–West Relations, 163–5.
28. Note for Minister Rey, 5 June 1962, HAEU, File BAC 1/1971, No. 54, 250–4.
29. Köves, “The Impact of Western Trade Restrictions on East–West Trade after World War II.”
30. Only the Soviet Union had diplomatic relations with West Germany at the time (since September 1955). Wilke, The Path to the Berlin Wall, 101.
31. Baev, “The Establishment of Bulgarian–West German Diplomatic Relations within the Coordinating Framework of the Warsaw Pact,” 161.
32. EEC’s Exchanges with Eastern European States in 1961, 17 April 1962, HAEU, File BAC 1/1971, No. 54, 128–32.
33. Study on Comecon, 1964, HAEU, File BAC 3/1978, No. 1248, 234–40.
34. Statistical Data Regarding the Commercial Relations between the CMEA States and the EEC States, 1969, ANIC, CMEA, The Governmental Commission for Economic and Technical Collaboration and Cooperation (GCETCC), CMEA Sessions, File 65/1969, 3–5.
35. Khrushchev’s Speech at the CMEA Conference from 6–7 June 1962, ANIC, CC of RCP, Foreign Relations, File 33/1962, vol. I, 4–50.
36. Speeches by Gomułka, Kádár, Zhivkov at the CMEA Conference from 6–7 June 1962, ANIC, CC of RCP, Foreign Relations, File 33/1962, vol. II, 1–27, 91–102, 128–134.
37. For a detailed account of Romania’s opposition to the early 1960s attempts at CMEA integration, see Dragomir, Cold War Perceptions.
38. Speech by Gheorghiu-Dej at the CMEA Conference from 6–7 June 1962, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 29/1962, 254–72.
39. For instance, Notes Regarding the Talks with the Soviet Delegation, Eforie, Romania, 24 June 1962, ANIC, CC of RCP Foreign Relations, File 39/1962, vol. II, 65–72; and Notes regarding to talk with M. Lesechko, 6 August 1962, ANIC, CC of RCP, Foreign Relations, File 14/1962, 16–20.
40. EEC-Romania Exchanges, 1978, HAEU, File BAC 48/1984, No. 678, 201.
41. Maurer, “Temelia de neclintit a unităţii mişcării comuniste internaţionale” [The unshakable foundation of the unity of the world communist movement].
42. For instance, The Resolution of the 10th Congress of the Romanian Communist Party, 6–12 August 1969, in Congresul al X-lea al Partidului Comunist Român [The 10th Congress of the Romanian Communist Party], 470.
43. Report Concerning the Examination in the CMEA of the Positions of the CMEA Member States towards the EEC, March 1972, ANIC, CC of RCP, Foreign Relations, File 182/1972, 12.
44. Protocol of the 9th Session of the CMEA, 26–30 June 1958, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Protocols of the CMEA sessions, File 9/1958, 1–28.
45. Note Regarding the 5th Point on the Agenda of the 13th Session of the Executive Committee of the CMEA (14–16 July 1964), June 1964, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 81/1964, 155–7.
46. The Point of View of the Romanian Delegation at the 13th Session of the Executive Committee of the CMEA (Project), June 1964, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 81/1964, 209.
47. Note, April 1964, ANIC, CMEA, Foreign Trade Permanent Commission (FTPC) II, File 85/1965, 35–7.
48. Note Regarding the 5th Point on the Agenda of the 13th Session of the CMEA Executive Committee (14–16 July 1964), June 1964, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 81/1964, 155–7.
49. The Point of View of the Romanian Delegation at the 12th Session of the Executive Committee of the CMEA, 10 April 1964, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 76/1964, 63–70.
50. Report on the 12th Session of the CMEA Executive Committee, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 94/1964, 1–16.
51. Note Regarding the 5th Point on the Agenda of the 13th Session of the CMEA Executive Committee (14–16 July 1964), June 1964, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 81/1964, 155–7.
52. Report on the Prague Program, adopted at the 14th session of the CMEA’s FTPC, 27–29 May 1964, Moscow, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 81/1964, 202.
53. The Analysis of the Situation Created in the Last Time as Result of the Discriminatory Measures taken by the EEC, 11 January 1969, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 193/1968–1969, 283.
54. Report on the Prague Program, 27–29 May 1964, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 81/1964, 197–204.
55. Note, June 1964, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 81/1964, 157–60.
56. There was no disagreement in this regard within the Romanian party and state bodies.
57. Minutes of the Politburo meeting on 26–27 February 1963, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 4/1963, 20–134; Minutes of the Politburo meeting on 26 June 1963, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 34/1963, 3–67.
58. Dragomir, Cold War Perceptions, 217–20.
59. For details, see Ibid.
60. Khrushchev’s Letter from 2 January 1964 to the first secretaries of the communist and workers’ parties, ANIC, CC of RCP, Foreign Relations, File 19U/1964, 29–31.
61. Dragomir, Cold War Perceptions, 179–82.
62. Gheorghiu-Dej’s Letter to Khrushchev, 13 January 1964, ANIC, CC of RCP, Foreign Relations, File 19U/1964, 39–42.
63. Alexandru Bîrlădeanu’s Notes concerning the talks in Moscow from 20 February 1963, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 10/1963, 48–72.
64. Crump and Godard, “Reassessing Communist International Organizations,” 85–109.
65. Kemp, Nationalism and Communism in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, 149.
66. Swick, National Communism, 116–22.
67. See, for instance, Elena Dragomir, “Romania’s Participation in the Agricultural Conference in Moscow, 2–3 February 1960,” 331–51; Țăranu, România în Consiliul de Ajutor Economic Reciproc, 1949–1965, 66–187.
68. Program of Future Activity for the Coordination of the Commercial Policy of the CMEA Member Countries towards the Capitalist Developed Countries, especially those that are Members of Economic Groupings (hereafter The Minimal Program), adopted at the 14th meeting of the CMEA’s FTPC, 27–29 May 1964, Moscow, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 81/1964, 189–92.
69. The Project of Romania’s Intervention with Regard to the Accomplishment of the Prague Program at the 14th Meeting of the CMEA’s FTPC, 27–29 May 1964, Moscow, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 81/1964, 177–8.
70. See, for instance, Dragomir, Cold War Perceptions, 178–91.
71. The Minimal Program, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 81/1964, 189–92.
72. Note Regarding the Point of View of the Romanian Delegation at the Conference of the Directors from the CMEA Foreign Trade Ministries with Regard to Selling Equipment and Machineries on Capitalist Markets, 30 April 1965, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC, II, File 85/1965, 21–6.
73. Note Regarding New Forms of Collaboration with Regard to the Export of Chemical Fertilizers on Capitalist Markets, 1 June 1966, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC II, File 85/1965, 2–3.
74. For instance, The Minutes of the Plenary Session of the CC of the RWP, 5–8 March 1963, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 10/1963, 33–46; The Minutes of the Meeting of the Politburo of the CC of the RWP, 26–27 February 1963, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 4/1963, 16–134.
75. Documentary Sheet Regarding the Intensification of the Coordination of the Commercial Policy of the CMEA Member States towards the Capitalist States, April 1969, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, CMEA Sessions, File 45/1968-1969, 209–16.
76. List of CMEA Divergences, 16 June 1966, ANIC, CC of RCP, Foreign Relations, File 169/1966. 1–14.
77. Points of View and Documents Concluded within the CMEA Regarding the Attitude of the CMEA Member States towards the Bodies of the Common Market or its Members, 19 January 1969, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC I, File 101/1968, 131–45.
78. Main Points Regarding the Materials by the Other CMEA Countries on Economic Integration, April 1969; Sheets Regarding Different CMEA Problems on which Romania had a Separate Position, April 1969, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, CMEA Sessions, File 55/1969, 1–123.
79. Preliminary Observations of Principle Regarding the Hungarian Material and some Comparisons with the Polish Material, 13 June 1968, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, CMEA Sessions, File 45/1968–1969, 1–4.
80. Comparison of the Romanian, Polish and Hungarian Theses, 1968, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, CMEA Sessions, File 44/1968, 29–63.
81. Note, 1968, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, CMEA Sessions, File 44/1968, 7–23.
82. Comparison of the Romanian, Polish and Hungarian Theses, 1968, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, CMEA Sessions, File 44/1968, 29–63.
83. EEC–Romania Exchanges, 1978, HAEU, File BAC 48/1984, No. 678, 201.
84. Report of the Commercial Counsellor from the French Embassy in Bucharest, October 1971, HAEU, CM2/1972, No. 1569.
85. Without consulting its allies, in January 1967, Romania became the second East European state, after the Soviet Union, establishing diplomatic relations with West Germany. Baev, “The Establishment of Bulgarian–West German Diplomatic Relations,” 164.
86. Statistical Data regarding the Commercial Relations between the CMEA States and the EEC States, 1969, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, CMEA Sessions, File 65/1969, 14.
87. Report by the Commercial Councillor from the French Embassy in Romania, October 1971, HAEU, CM2/1972, No. 1569 (no page number).
88. Czechoslovakia established diplomatic relations with West Germany in 1973. Kunštát, “Czech-German Relations after the Fall of the Iron Curtain,” 150.
89. Report on the Conference of the Directors from the Ministries of Foreign Trade from the CMEA States Regarding Commercial Relations with EEC Countries, Greece and Spain, Bucharest, 30 May–1 June 1967, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, FTPC I, File 51/1966, 83–104.
90. Report on the Prague Program, 27–29 May 1964, Moscow, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 81/1964, 202; See also J. Rey’s Note on the EEC’s Relations with Eastern European States, 6 June 1962, HAEU, BAC 1/1971, No. 54, 250–61.
91. Note Regarding the EEC’s Answer to Berkhouwer’s Question from 30 November 1970 on EEC–CMEA Relations, 17 February 1971, HAEU, BAC 3/1978, No. 809, 77–9.
92. Van Ham, The EC, Eastern Europe and European Unity, 122–4.
93. Report on the Conference of the Directors …, 30 May–1 June 1967, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, FTPC I, File 51/1966, 83–104.
94. Van Ham, The EC, Eastern Europe and European Unity, 65, 124–5.
95. For Hungary’s attitudes towards the EEC, see Germuska, “Balancing Between the COMECON and the EEC: Hungarian Elite Debates on European Integration During the Long 1970s.”
96. Points of View and Documents Concluded …, 19 January 1969, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC I, File 101/1968, 131–45.
97. In Romanian documents the terms “economic agency” and “commercial agency” are used interchangeably. This article uses the exact phrase as in the respective document. See, for instance, Notes regarding Romania’s Relations with the Common Market, 6 July 1973, signed by Ion Pățan (Foreign Trade Minister) and George Macovescu (Foreign Affairs Minister), ANIC, CMEA, FTPC I, File 130/1972, 179–90.
98. Romania’s economic agencies abroad were subordinated to the Ministry of Foreign Trade. See Decree No. 622/12 September 1969 on the Organization and Functioning of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, adopted through Law No. 41/19 December 1969, Buletinul Oficial, No. 148/19 December 1969.
99. Minister of Foreign Trade (MFT), Study on the Common Market (the Advantages and Obligations Resulting from a Possible Concluding of an Agreement with the Common Market), July 1971, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC I, File 78/1968, 249.
100. Scott, “The Commercial Policy of the European Economic Community,” 50.
101. In 1961, Denmark, Ireland and Great Britain had applied for membership in the EEC. Norway followed in 1962, but, by 1963, Charles de Gaulle’s opposition had stopped the negotiations. In 1967, the four states applied for the second time, and, in 1973, Denmark, Ireland and Great Britain became members of the EEC.
102. Note on Romania’s Strategy Regarding the Economic Relations with the Common Market, 26 November 1970, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 24/1971, 149–58.
103. Kansikas, Socialist Countries Face the European Community, 59.
104. The Analysis of the Situation Created in the Last Time …, 11 January 1969; Measures by Bulgaria, Hungary, GDR, Mongolia, Poland, USSR and Czechoslovakia to Defend their Interests against the EEC’s Discriminatory Measures, 11 January 1969, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 193/1968-1969, 277–92.
105. Documentary Sheet …, April 1969, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, CMEA Sessions, File 45/1968-1969, 209–16.
106. The Speech of the Romanian Delegation (Project) Regarding the 3rd Point on the Agenda of the 38th Meeting of the Executive Committee of the CMEA, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 193/1968-1969, 272–5.
107. Kansikas, Socialist Countries Face the European Community, 62–3.
108. Romania’s Proposals for the Resolution of the 23rd Meeting of the Executive Committee of the CMEA, 22 April 1969, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, CMEA sessions, File 59/1969, 282–99.
109. Note Regarding the Exchanges of Opinions between the Romanian and the Soviet Delegations, Moscow, 5–7 March 1969, ANIC, CC of RCP, Foreign Relations, File 142/1969, 22–36.
110. Proposals regarding Romania’s Position at the CMEA Session from 23–25 April 1969, 21 April 1969, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 61/1969, 20–38.
111. Note Regarding the Main Aspects and Implications of Establishing CMEA–EEC Relations, February 1978, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – Notes, File 50/1978, 36 verso.
112. The Minutes of the PP of the CC of the RCP from 22 February 1971, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 23/1971, 22, 25.
113. Kansikas, Socialist Countries Face the European Community, 64–5.
114. For a detailed discussion, see, for instance, Elena Dragomir, “Romania and the Beginning of CMEA Controversies over a Common Trade Policy towards the EEC, 1969-1972,” in European History Quarterly, in print.
115. Note of the Proceedings of the Meeting of the CMEA Executive Committee, 20–22 October 1970, ANIC, CC of RCP, Economic Section, File 9/1970, 62–9.
116. Protocol (with annexes) of the 49th Meeting of the CMEA Executive Committee, 20–22 October 1970, ANIC, CMEA, Executive Committee – Sheets, Sheet No. 54, 16–65.
117. Kansikas, “Acknowledging Economic Realities,” 315.
118. Kansikas, Socialist Countries Face the European Community, 59, 77–8.
119. Note on Romania’s Point of View Regarding its Participation at the Session of the CMEA Executive Committee, December 1970, ANIC CC of RCP, Economic Section, File 64/1970, 152–81.
120. See, for instance, Elena Dragomir, “România și poziția CAER față de CEE: Negocierile pentru adoptarea Programului Complex, 1969–1971” [Romania and the CMEA position towards the EEC: the negotiations for the Comprehensive Program, 1969–1971], 231–46.
121. Nicolae Ceaușescu’s Speech at the Common Meeting of the CC of the RCP, State Council and Government, Bucharest, 19 August 1971, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File No. 92/1971, 5–8.
122. The Comprehensive Program, vol. I, The Published Text, Bucharest, July 1971, ANIC, CC al PCR, Economic Section, File 64/1971, 1–66.
123. Report Concerning the Examination in the CMEA of the Positions …, March 1972, ANIC, CC of RCP, Foreign Relations, File 182/1972, 17.
124. FTM, Study on the Common Market …, July 1971, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC I, File 78/1968, 228–328.
125. The Comprehensive Program, vol. II, The Secret Text, Bucharest, July 1971, ANIC, CC of RCP, Economic Section, File 64/1971, 73–83.
126. Note, 22 February 1971, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 23/1971, 236.
127. Note on Romania’s Strategy …, 26 November 1970, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 24/1971, 149–58.
128. Ibid.
129. Ibid.
130. Romania’s Embassy in Rome, Report on Italy’s Position towards the EEC’s Integration and Enlargement, 15 February 1973, The Archive of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (AMAE), Fond 1973, File 4982/1973, 20. Bucharest, Romania: AMAE.
131. The leu (plural lei) was the Romanian currency unit, which was not convertible. The foreign currency leu valută was defined as the former gold value of the Romanian currency and was used only in governmental foreign trade statistics.
132. Note on Romania’s Strategy …, 20 November 1970, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 24/1971, 149–58.
133. Note of Proposals on Romania’s Strategy towards the Common Market with the Annex “Study – the Common Market (second version), 15 March 1973”, AMAE, Fond 1973, File 4977/1973, 105–11.
134. The Minutes of the Talks between the Romanian and the Chinese Delegations, 2 June 1971, in Romulus Ioan Budura (coordinator), Politica independentă a României şi relatiile româno-chineze, 1954–1975 (documente), 456–7.
135. See, for instance, Dragomir, Cold War Perceptions, 120–1.
136. Statistical Data …, 1969, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, CMEA Sessions, File 65/1969, 3–5.
137. The Minutes of the Talks between the Romanian and the Chinese Delegations, 2 June 1971, in Budura, Politica independentă a României şi relatiile româno-chineze, 1954–1975 (documente) [Romania’s independent policy and the Romanian-Chinese relations], 456–7.
138. Note on Romania’s Strategy …, 20 November 1970, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 24/1971, 149–58.
139. Hungary followed in 1972, Poland in 1976, the USSR in 1987 and Czechoslovakia in 1989. Andreff, “Soviet Foreign Trade Reforms and the Challenge to East European Economic Relations with the West,” 43.
140. “Law No. 1, 17 March 1971”, in Buletinul Oficial, No. 23, 17 March 1971.
141. Ghimpu and Zlatescu, “Romania,” 97–8.
142. Note Regarding the Results of the Unofficial Talks with the Experts of the Commission of the Common Market (Bucharest, 15–16 July 1971), 27 July 1971, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC I, File 78/1968, 101–6.
143. FTM, Study on the Common Market …, July 1971, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC I, File 78/1968, 228–328.
144. Commercial Agreements with the Capitalist States, 25 August 1973, ANIC, CC of RCP, Economic Section, File 62/1972, vol. I, 105–7.
145. Note, 4 March 1972, AMAE, Fond 1972, File 80/1972, 39–40.
146. Romania was admitted in the group of 77 in 1976.
147. Ion Gheorghe Maurer’s Letter to Willy Brandt, May 1972, AMAE, Fond 1972, File 3008/1972, 7–8.
148. The Consideration of the Romanian Part on Establishing Contacts with the EEC, Transmitted to the CMEA’s Secretariat, 6 October 1971, ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 267/1971, 324–6.
149. MFA, Study on the Common Market (first version), January 1973, AMAE, Fond 1973, File 4977/1973, 54–6.
150. As fascinating as the CMEA talks on this issue were, they do not constitute the focus of this article. Suffice it to say though that the 62nd meeting of the CMEA Executive Committee (17–21 April 1973) agreed on a common document accepting as possible the establishment of relations between the CMEA and the EEC as entities. See Proposals Regarding the Possible Ways, Forms and Content of the Contacts of the CMEA with the EEC, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC I, File 130/1972, 159–66.
151. The Intervention of Romanian Representative at the 56th Meeting of the CMEA Executive Committee (18–20 January 1972), ANIC, CMEA, GCETCC, Executive Committee – General, File 273/1971–72, 1–7.
152. Note on Romania’s Strategy …, 26 November 1970, ANIC, CC of RCP, Office, File 24/1971, 149–58.
153. Notes Concerning Romania’s Actions to Obtain Generalized Preferences from the EEC, 11 March 1972, ANIC, CC of RCP, Economic Section, File 18/1972, 96–100; Note on France’s Position towards Romania’s Request to Benefit from Generalized Preferences, 16 January 1973, AMAE, Fond 1973, File 4977/1973, 1–8.
154. Memorandum “Romania-EEC” (project), 6 May 1973, HAEU, BAC 48/1984, File 678, 68–71.
155. E. Van Elslande’s Letter to Romania’s Minister of Foreign Trade, 27 June 1972, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC I, File 130/1972, 197.
156. Note Regarding the Improvement of the Regime of Custom Preference from the EEC for Romania in the Year of 1976, 19 May 1975, AMAE, Fond 1975, File 5815/1975, 8–9.
157. Considerations on Romania’s Position towards the IMF and IBRD, July 1972, published in Alexandrescu, România între Est și Vest: Aderarea la FMI și BIRD [Romania between the East and the West: the adhering to the IMF and IBRD], 153–9.
158. Note of Proposals on Romania’s Strategy towards the Common Market …, 15 March 1973, AMAE, Fond 1973, File 4977, 105–74.
159. Report by the Commercial Counsellors of the EEC States in Romania, 13 August 1973, HAEU, CM2/1972, No. 1569, no page number.
160. Note of Proposals on Romania’s Strategy towards the Common Market … 15 March 1973, AMAE, Fond 1973, File 4977, 105–74.
161. Lipatti, În tranșeele Europei, 121–2.
162. Report for Sir Christopher Soames, 12 December 1973, Brussels, HAEU, BAC 48/1984, File 678, 77–9.
163. George Macovescu’s Synthetic Report on the Participation of Romania’s Delegation at the Helsinki Consultation (22 November 1972–8 June 1973), 12 June 1973, AMAE. Problem 241/1973, File 5146, 143–50.
164. Verona and Talpă, Conferința pentru Securitate și Cooperare în Europa. Analiza comparativă (uz -intern), Academia de Științe Sociale și Politice [Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Comparative analysis (internal use), Academy of Social and Political Sciences], November 1973, 15–16.
165. Lipatti, În tranșeele Europei, 118–21.
166. Note of Proposals on Romania’s Strategy … 17 March 1973, AMAE, Fond 1973, File 4977, 105–74.
167. Ibid.
168. Address by the Office of the CC of the RCP to George Macovescu, 27 March 1973, AMAE, Fond 1973, File 4977, 214.
169. The Protocol of the 63rd meeting of the Executive Committee of the CMEA, June 1973, ANIC, CMEA, Executive Committee – Sheets, Sheet No. 128, 1–10.
170. Romano, “Untying Cold War Knots: The EEC and Eastern Europe in the Long 1970s,” 163–4.
171. Note Regarding the Meeting of the Foreign Trade Deputy-Ministers in Berlin, 11–13 December 1974, AMAE, Fond 1974, File 5836/1974, 67–8.
172. Romano, “Untying Cold War Knots,” 164.
173. As interesting as it is, Romania’s position towards the CMEA–EEC negotiations on a trade agreement during the 1970s is a subject for another article.
174. Documents Regarding the 70th session of the Executive Committee of the CMEA, 21-23 January 1975, ANIC, CMEA, The Executive Committee – General, File 332/1974-1975, 1–6.
175. Regarding the Juridical Framework of the Commercial Relations of the Common Market after 1 January 1975; Regarding Romania’s Relations with the Common Market, 1974, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC I, File 130/1972, 380–3.
176. See, for instance, Romania’s Position at the 62nd Meeting of the CMEA Executive Committee (April 1973); Proposals regarding the Possible Ways …, ANIC, CMEA, FTPC, I, File 130/1972, 159–66.
177. W.M. Marsden to P.E. Hall, 24 September 1973, TNA, FCO, File 30/1728.
178. See, for instance, Elena Dragomir, “Romania and the Intra-Bloc CMEA Negotiations on the Establishment of CMEA-EEC Relations, 1984–1988,” 123–37.
179. Steiner, “The Council of Mutual Economic Assistance,” 240–58.
180. Godard, “Creative Tension,” 65–83.
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Elena Dragomir
Elena Dragomir is a postdoctoral researcher at the University Valahia of Targoviste, Romania. Her current research project is entitled, ‘The Opposition Within: Romania and the CMEA EEC policy, 1957–1989’. Elena received her PhD in History in 2014 from the University of Helsinki, Finland. She specializes in Cold War Romania’s history and foreign policy.
Her recent publications include: ‘The Formation of the Soviet Bloc’s Council for Mutual Economic Assistance: Romania’s Involvement’, Journal of Cold War Studies (2012); ‘Romania’s Participation in the Agricultural Conference in Moscow, 2–3 February 1960’, Cold War History (2013); ‘Hotel Intercontinental in Bucharest: Competitive Advantage for the Socialist Tourist Industry in Romania’, in Katalin Miklóssy and Melanie Ilic (eds), Competition in Socialist Society (Routledge, 2014); and ‘Romania Blocks Mongolia’s Accession to the Warsaw Treaty Organization: the Roots of Romania’s Involvement in the Sino-Soviet Dispute’, in Philip Muehlenbeck and Natalia Telpneva (eds), Warsaw Pact Intervention in the Third World: Aid and Influence in the Cold War (I.B. Tauris, 2018).