ABSTRACT
From early February 1965, the Foreign Office began to pressure Wilson more directly to declare his hand in favour of eventual accession to the European Community. A longdistance commitment to membership of the ‘right sort’ of Europe did not, Foreign Office officials felt, suffice to demonstrate to the continental countries the sincerity of Britain’s intentions. Wilson was slow to respond to Foreign Office blandishments. His approach to the Commonwealth had gained momentum and with this policy active, it would have been difficult to turn to a bid for Community membership. Thus, the policy of bridgebuilding between EFTA and the EEC did not amount to a re-evaluation of the bases of British policy towards the European Community. Bridge-building was a response primarily to EFTA’s anger at the imposition of the import surcharge the previous November and reflected Wilson’s continuing will for technological collaboration and tariff reductions in Europe. Foreign Office concerns did lead Wilson to raise the principle of eventual membership with the Cabinet, but he did not address the terms under which Britain would take this step.
