ABSTRACT
This chapter considers a relatively brief summary of the course of the negotiations. The negotiations fell into three main phases, characterised, somewhat accidentally, by the successive Chairmanships of the different member countries of the Community. The opening meeting on 30 June, 1970, took place on the last day of the Belgian Chairmanship. After the opening meeting on 30 June, 1970, which was confined to programmatic statements by the Community and the four candidates and at which no business was transacted, the first working meeting was the bilateral Ministerial meeting of 21 July. At the five Deputies meetings which took place in July, September and October before the next Ministerial meeting on 27 October, only modest progress was made. On 17 November, 1970, the Commission completed its paper giving a 'Vue d'ensemble' of the principal elements of the negotiations. When, after two all-night sessions, the meeting ended on 23 June, all were convinced that the negotiations would succeed.
