ABSTRACT
In April 1991, when the conflict appeared imminent, the Council made minimal modifications to the negotiation mandate and temporarily defused the crisis. The widening of the mandate was only one of the demands made by the Commission. The Commission was seeking a general flexibilisation of the Economic Communities (EC) negotiating position and greater authority to depart from the mandate when necessary. The Soviet Union constituted the most important export market for Polish and Hungarian producers, but the switch to hard currency and the economic crisis had meant the collapse of the Soviet market. Greece demanded the specific protection of its ceramic, textile and agricultural products, and France sought to strengthen the economic conditionality clause. When Vaclav Havel highlighted the importance of the association agreement for the successful completion of the economic and political transition in his country, President Delors reaffirmed the EC's commitment to the free trade area and EC's wish to be generous.
