On 7 November 1956, the British Chambers of Commerce states that it is favourable in principle to the establishment of a free trade area in Europe but lays down certain conditions that need to be met if it is to offer its full support.

On 15 January 1957, reaffirming its commitment to maintaining Atlantic solidarity and multilateral trade, the US Department of State expresses US support for the intergovernmental negotiations under way for the establishment of a common market between the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and welcomes the initiative of the United Kingdom which seeks to set up a European free trade area.

In February 1957, the British Government forwards a memorandum to the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) in Paris in which it sets out its views on the establishment of a European Free Trade Area.

Am 6. Februar 1956 plädiert die Industrie- und Handelskammer Düsseldorf für die Gründung des Gemeinsamen Marktes nach der Einrichtung einer Freihandelszone als Zwischenetappe.

On 9 February 1957, Raymond Bousquet, French Ambassador to Belgium, forwards to Christian Pineau, French Foreign Minister, a telegram in which he informs him of the draft reply of the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) to the British memorandum on the establishment of a free trade area in Europe.

„Hier kommt die Braut“. Im Zusammenhang mit den Verhandlungen um die Einrichtung einer Freihandelszone in Europa kommentiert der britische Karikaturist Low am 12. Februar 1957 die Chancen und Risiken für die britische Landwirtschaft in dieser neuen Freihandelszone.

In April 1957, the Federation of British Industries (FBI) publishes its position on the proposed European Free Trade Area, whilst attempting to assess the implications thereof for the British economy.

On 16 May 1957, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) adopts a statement on the implications of the establishment of a free trade area in Europe.

„Noch immer Linksverkehr?“ Der Karikaturist Behrendt illustriert 1957 das Misstrauen und den Alleingang des Vereinigten Königreichs gegenüber den sechs zukünftigen Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft.

In May 1957, the British Government publishes an information booklet on the advantages of the establishment of a large free trade area in Europe.

On 7 June 1957, at a reception held by the British Chamber of Commerce in Paris, David Eccles, President of the Board of Trade, delivers an address on the importance of the establishment of a free trade area in Europe.

On 9 July 1957, at a meeting of the British Section of the European Movement in London, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, makes a statement in which he emphasises the importance of the establishment of a free trade area in Europe.

On 11 July 1957, the day after the meeting of the British section of the European Movement in London, Jean Chauvel, French Ambassador to London, sends a telegram to Christian Pineau, French Foreign Minister, in which he outlines the views expressed by some British politicians on the issues related to the Common Market and the free trade area.

„Werben unter Vorbehalt“. Am 12. Juli 1957 illustriert der britische Karikaturist David Low die Annäherungsversuche – mit Einschränkungen – des Vereinigten Königreichs (in Gestalt des Premierministers Harold Macmillan) an die Europäische Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft (EWG).

Am 19. Juli 1957 unterbreitet der britische Schatzkanzler Peter Thorneycroft dem Rat der Organisation für europäische wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit (OEEC) einen Bericht, in dem er die Hindernisse für die Einrichtung einer Freihandelszone in Europa darlegt.

On 23 July 1957, Pierre Uri, Director of the General Economy Division of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), outlines to the Interim Committee for the Common Market and Euratom the threat that the British proposal for a European Free Trade Area would pose to the European Economic Community (EEC) even before its actual implementation.

On 30 July 1957, Pierre Uri, Director of the General Economy Division of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), draws up a note in which he outlines the conditions which a common market must meet in order to promote the economic development of the participating countries, given their particular sizes.

In September 1957, the Association of British Chambers of Commerce, the Federation of British Industries and the National Union of Manufacturers publish a Joint Report in which they set out their views on the establishment of a European Free Trade Area.

In October 1957, in response to the imminent implementation of the Rome Treaties, Peter Thornycroft, Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, sets out the position of the British Government on the revival of European integration and warns against a division of Europe into several economic areas.

On 16 September 1957, following a meeting of the Interim Committee for the Common Market and Euratom, Robert Marjolin, technical adviser in the Private Office of the French Foreign Ministry, analyses the discussions between the six Member States of the European Economic Community with a view to establishing a common position on the free-trade area.

On 17 September 1957, the National Council of French Employers (CNPF) adopts a resolution in which it sets out the reasons for its opposition to the British proposal for a free trade area in Europe.

On 20 September 1957, Pierre Uri, Director of the General Economy Division of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), draws up a note in which he outlines the difficulties for the Member States of the European Economic Community (EEC) arising from the British proposal for a Free Trade Area.

On 16 October 1957, Christian Calmes, Secretary-General of the Interim Committee for the Common Market and Euratom, writes a letter to René Sergent, Secretary-General of the OEEC, in which he sets out the position of the Six on the negotiations under way for the implementation of a free trade area in Europe.

On 13 November 1957, the Federation of British Industries adopts a resolution in which it expresses its views on the proposal to establish a European Free Trade Area.

On 21 December 1957, the Roubaix Chamber of Commerce expresses its objections to the British proposal for a free trade area in Europe.

On 28 March 1958, British MPs hold an exchange of views on the establishment of a free trade area in Europe and consider future relations between the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community (EEC).

On 15 July 1958, the British cartoonist, David Low, illustrates the opposition of General de Gaulle, President of the French Republic, to the negotiations for the establishment of a large free-trade area in Europe.

In October 1958, the Action Committee for a United States of Europe drafts a note on future relations between the European Economic Community (EEC) and third countries, in particular the United Kingdom, with a view to the establishment of a free-trade area.

On 7 November 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, asks the French President, Charles de Gaulle, to reconsider once again France's position regarding the creation of a single industrial free-trade area in Europe.

Am 15. November 1958 erläutert der französische Präsident de Gaulle dem britischen Premierminister Harold Macmillan, warum seiner Ansicht nach die Existenz des Gemeinsamen Marktes und die Verpflichtungen, die sich daraus für seine Mitgliedstaaten ergeben, unvereinbar mit dem Vorhaben einer großen Freihandelszone in Europa sind.

„Hart für die Unentschlossenen.“ Am 20. November 1958 illustriert der britische Karikaturist David Low die Frustration Reginald Maudlings, Her Majesty's Paymaster-General und Vorsitzender des Regierungsausschusses der Organisation für europäische wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit (OEEC) zur Untersuchung der Bedingungen für die Einrichtung einer Freihandelszone in Europa, angesichts des französischen Widerstandes (links: der französische Informationsminister Jacques Soustelle).

Am 23. Januar 1957 erläutert die deutsche Wirtschaftstageszeitung Handelsblatt die Merkmale der Zollunion, die die sechs Mitgliedstaaten der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (EGKS) im Rahmen der Europäischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft (EWG) einrichten wollen, und fragt nach den Vorteilen des britischen Vorhabens einer europäischen Freihandelszone.

Am 20. März 1957 weist die sozialistische luxemburgische Tageszeitung Tageblatt auf die wichtigsten Unterschiede zwischen der künftigen Europäischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft (EWG) und der Freihandelszone hin, die die britische Regierung in Europa gründen möchte.

Am 22. Juni 1957 berichtet die alle zwei Monate erscheinende italienische Zeitschrift Relazioni internazionali von dem Italienbesuch des Briten David Eccles, des Vorsitzenden des Board of Trade und legt die Nachteile des britischen Vorhabens einer Freihandelszone dar.

In November 1957, the British financial journal Westminster Bank Review publishes an article by Richard Bailey, Director of the ‘Political and Economic Planning’ research organisation, on the implications of the establishment of a free-trade area in Europe.

On 26 December 1957, the French monthly economics publication L’Usine Nouvelle gives an account of the opposition of some sectors of the French industrial world to the proposed free trade area under the aegis of the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC).

In December 1957, the French monthly newspaper Le Monde Diplomatique publishes an extract from the address delivered by Jean Monnet, President of the Action Committee for the United States of Europe (ACUSE), at the Congress of the Cotton Industry in Harrogate in which he considers, in particular, the fundamental differences between the Common Market and the British proposal for a free trade area.

On 9 January 1958, the French monthly economics publication L’Usine Nouvelle sets out its arguments against the British proposal for the establishment of a European free trade area.

On 8 March 1958, the British financial newspaper The Statist comments on the difficult negotiations between the United Kingdom and France on the establishment of a free-trade area in Europe which would include the European Economic Community (EEC).

On 1 November 1958, the daily newspaper The Manchester Guardian analyses the reasons for the failure of the negotiations seeking to establish a free trade area in Europe.

On 15 November 1958, L’Écho de l’Industrie, the official publication of the Federation of Luxembourg Industrialists (Fedil), comments on the difficult negotiations between the six Member States of the European Economic Community (EEC) and the United Kingdom on the possible establishment of a free trade area in Europe.

On 17 November 1958, the daily newspaper The Manchester Guardian leads with the postponement of the negotiations for the establishment of a single free-trade area in Europe.