Europeans Move Toward True Common Market

A package of measures to improve decision-making and speed creation of a true common market in Western Europe was approved here late Tuesday by heads of government of the 12 nations of the expanding European Communities.

Although the package is less than idealists were striving for, much more was achieved after 14 hours of almost nonstop negotiation Tuesday than had been generally expected when the meeting began Monday.

Most of the new measures will be incorporated into the Treaty of Rome and are the first basic amendments to this “constitution” of the European Communities since it came into force in 1958.

‘We Will Press for More’

“We wanted more and we will continue to press for more,” French President Francois Mitterrand said, but he expressed satisfaction that there are now clear commitments to move forward toward completion of the trade bloc.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher called it “a modest success” that, she felt, will serve British interests, particularly in opening up all of Europe to services in which Britain predominates: insurance, banking, investment, shipping and transportation.

Key elements of the package of agreements are:

--A commitment by all 12 members (including Portugal and Spain, which will join Jan. 1) to complete the dismantling of internal trade barriers, economic restrictions, frontier controls and exchange regulations and all other trade restraints by 1992.

--An agreement to increase the use of simple majority voting to reach decisions, except on issues that member governments deem to be of vital national interest. In such cases, a unanimous vote will continue to be required.

--A treaty of political cooperation, separate from the Treaty of Rome, under which a small political secretariat will be created to improve the coordination of members’ foreign policies.

--A modest increase in the powers of the European Parliament, giving the representatives elected from each nation the right to delay--but not to reject--adoption of rules drafted by the Communities’ Commission in Brussels and approved by the Council of Ministers.

--A goal of “monetary union” through enlarging and strengthening the operations of the present European Monetary System. This provision gave the most negotiating trouble until it was watered down sufficiently to be acceptable to Britain.

--A commitment to provide help from community funds for poorer members, such as Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

--A high-technology agreement to encourage pan-European research and development as well as marketing of electronics and high-tech products.

--An agreement to pursue a more active policy throughout the community on protection of the environment--an issue of cross-border consequences in such matters as acid rain.

Putting together the package involved concentrated and complex negotiations. The final spurt began Saturday with a meeting of foreign ministers, but when the heads of government arrived here Monday, only the outlines of a possible package deal had been drawn up.