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(Grant Agreement n. 669194)
During the 1970s, the state apparatus actively debated Yugoslavia’s stance towards the European Economic Community (EEC), the ideological dimension of which had been defined by the party by the mid-1960s. The federal strategy towards the EEC was devised and planned within three main state bodies: the Federal Executive Council (Savezno izvršno veće), Yugoslavia’s governing body; the Federal Foreign Affairs Secretariat (Savezni Sekretarijat za Inostrane Poslove); and the Federal Foreign Trade Secretariat (Savezni Sekretarijat za Spoljnu Trgovinu).
The Federal Executive Council comprised representatives from each federal republic and autonomous province plus the heads of the federal secretariats (i.e. the federal ‘ministries’). As a collective body it was in charge of coordinating the country’s overall economic strategy and mediating among the economic interests of the federal republics and autonomous provinces in several domains (e.g. finance, transport, tourism, banking). From 1968, the Federal Executive Council appointed one of its members as responsible for relations with the EEC, EFTA (European Free Trade Association) and the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). They were: Toma Granfil (Slovene, 1968-1971); Boris Šnuderl (Slovene, 1971-1974); Janko Smole (Slovene, 1974-1977); and Stojan Andov (Macedonian, 1977-1982). The Federal Executive Council was the main federal forum in which the Western European integration question was debated. Discussions were open and direct, and in the course of the 1970s two divergent schools of thought emerged. On the one hand, a political approach was sponsored by the leadership of the Yugoslav party and espoused by the heads of the Federal Executive Council, especially Džemal Bijedić (Bosnian, 1971-1977) and Veselin Djuranović (Montenegrin, 1977-1982). This considered that Yugoslavia could hardly compete with its economic partners in Western Europe and should therefore adopt a policy of seeking aid and assistance, banking on Yugoslavia’s strategic position in Europe. On the other hand, several members of the Federal executive council, mostly coming from the republics of Slovenia and Croatia, insisted on enhancing economic cooperation with the West in several fields, from industry to agriculture. This debate characterised Federal Executive Council meetings in the early to mid-1970s.
The Federal Foreign Affairs Secretariat on its part mainly espoused the political/diplomatic interpretation of relations with the EEC adopted by the party. During the 1970s, its reports pointed to the growing diplomatic weight of the Community as a relevant international actor, as witnessed by the development of direct contacts with the CMEA (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) in the mid-1970s and of official relations with the People’s Republic of China.
The Federal Foreign Trade Secretariat was the technical body in charge of negotiations with the EEC. Within the framework of these negotiations, it carried out economic and commercial analyses in which it highlighted Yugoslavia’s dependency on the EEC, thus influencing the viewpoint of the Federal Executive Council. It was also the body in charge of collecting commercial requests from business and trade organisations. Its reports therefore highlighted the pressure for enhanced commercial relations with the EEC stemming in particular from the northern republics (Slovenia and Croatia).
After the adoption of the 1974 constitution, the members of Federal executive council worried increasingly about the lack of federal authority vis-à-vis the federal republics and autonomous provinces. Gloomy debates concerning Yugoslavia’s relations with its Western European partners characterised the turn of the decade, as direct competences in the field of foreign trade were attributed to the republics and autonomous provinces. Eventually, the political approach proposed by Bijedić and Djuranović prevailed: Andov successfully negotiated and concluded a major co-operation agreement with the EEC (April 1980) which contained direct commercial and financial EEC concessions to Yugoslavia. This agreement was negotiated by a small team of diplomats directly led by Andov, leaving other relevant state bodies – including the Federal Foreign Trade Secretariat and the Federal Foreign Affairs Secretariat – at the margins of the negotiating process.
* This text summarises some of the research findings of PanEur1970s team member Benedetto Zaccaria, which are published as a chapter in PanEur1970s’ academic edited book. For a link to the e-book, please see Yugoslavia’s “Overview” webpage of this map.
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Stenographic notes on the 102th meeting of the Federal Executive Council, held on 23 October 1975
AJ 130 2321
During this meeting, Janko Smole, a Slovene member of the Federal Executive Council in charge of relations with the EEC, emphasises Yugoslavia's responsibility in the mismanagment of commercial relations with the Community. - Available only in the Archive: http://www.arhivyu.gov.rs/ |
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Stenographic notes on the 111th meeting of the Federal Executive Council, held on 3 December 1975
AJ 130 2322
During this meeting, the President of the Federal Executive Council, Džemal Bijedić, clearly emphasised that Yugoslavia would be unable to compete with the EEC member states on the commercial field, and insisted that the Community and its member states should develop a policy of assistance to Yugoslavia, based on political, rather than economic, rationale. - Available only in the Archive: http://www.arhivyu.gov.rs/ |
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Stenographic notes on the 79th meeting of the Federal Executive Council, held on 10 May 1979
AJ 130 4212
During this meeting, Stojan Andov, a Macedonian member of the Federal executive council in charge of relations with the EEC, insisted on the political dimension of relations with the EEC. His approach was not contested by his homologues. - Available only in the Archive: http://www.arhivyu.gov.rs/ |
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Information on Špiljak's visit in Italy between 8 and 13 January 1968
AJ 751 115 | 2408
This document bears witness to Špiljak's willingness to improve the commecial - rather than political - dimension of relations between Yugoslavia and the EEC. - Available only in the Archive: http://www.arhivyu.gov.rs/ |
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Report of Meeting between Tito and Franco Maria Malfatti, President of the European Commission
AJ KPR 837 I-3-b/38 | 41713
During the Meeting, Tito informed Malfatti about Yugoslavia's concern to be isolated between the EEC and CMEA. - Available only in the Archive: http://www.arhivyu.gov.rs/ |
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Information on relations between Yugoslavia and EEC on the occasion of the travel by Sicco Mansholt, President of the European Commission
AJ KPR 837 I-3-b/42 | 1227/1
In this document,addressed to the Cabinet of the President of the Republic, the Cabinet of Šnuderl emphasises the need to enlgarge the spheres of economic cooperation with the Community. - Available only in the Archive: http://www.arhivyu.gov.rs/ |
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Letter by Šnuderl to Marko Vrhunec
AJ KPR 837 I-3-b/42
In this letter, Šnuderl underlines the importance of using the "self-management" reforms to emphasise the Yugoslavia's reformist status vis-à-vis the President of of the European Commission. - Available only in the Archive: http://www.arhivyu.gov.rs/ |
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Note regarding the conclusion of the Commercial Agreement between Yugoslavia and EEC
AMAE, Problem 241/2C52/Common Market, Belgium, p. 43-53 | 40028/23.03.1970
It presents in detail the stipulations of the agreement concluded on 19 February 1970 between Yugoslavia and the EEC, the advantages Yugoslavia obtained through this agreement. It makes proposals regarding Romania's export in the EEC countries, based on 'our experience' and the 'experience of Yugoslavia'. The note mentions a list of attachments (the agreement between Yugoslavia and the EEC, the letters, the press communique), which are missing from the file though. - Available only in the Archive: https://www.mae.ro |
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Report by Federal foreign affairs secretariat
AMIP, PA, R, 1976 | f 181: b 494114
This document emphasises the role of the EEC as a "third force" in the international arena between the USSR and the USA. - Available only in the Archive: http://www.mfa.rs/sr/index.php/arhiva?lang=lat |
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Letter by Boriš Šnuderl to Milica Žiberna
Aj 751 894
In this letter, the Slovene member of the Federal Executive Council, Boriš Šnuderl refers to a recent meeting between Petar Milijević, Yugoslavia's ambassador to the EEC, and a representative of the European Investment Bank. It is argued that Yugoslavia should develop financial relations with the EEC. - Available only in the Archive: http://www.arhivyu.gov.rs/ |
