Speech to Oporto Industrial Association

It is a great pleasure for me to be in Oporto.

Yours is a beautiful and remarkable city—and its association with Britain is deep-rooted and famous.

A British historian, Mr. Charles Sellers, said in his book “Oporto, Old and New” that there was here “one of the most select British communities living abroad.” He was equally complimentary about both your great trading reputation and your wine in commenting that when Oporto's “great navigators are forgotten in the turmoil of everyday life, their fame shall be remembered as future generations drink from crystal goblets the generous wine of many a Douro vintage” . [end p1]

Oporto has played a vital part in the remarkable history of friendship between Britain and Portugal. It was not far from here in the municipality of Guimaraes that the first Anglo/Portuguese treaty on trade was signed in 1372. It was from Oporto that the Fourteenth Century galleons set forth bearing their cargo of dried fruits, salt, honey and wax. It is largely from your region that our main imports today of cork, pulp, textiles, come. Your Justly famous wine has spread out of London's clubs, on to the supermarket shelves and into more and more British living rooms. [end p2]

One British writer said: “The Portuguese and the English have always been the best of friends because we can't get no Port Wine anywhere else” .

Well—Port and therefore Oporto have played their role—but I like to think our friendship goes rather deeper than that. In other speeches during this very enjoyable visit I have spoken of the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance which has covered such a vast sweep of European history. [end p3]

And I have looked forward to a future in which Portugal and Britain share a joint mission within the European Community—a mission to increase the Community's influence for good across the world and to spread the blessings of the democracy, the freedom and the justice which we enjoy here in Europe.

Portugal's experience of the world and its commitment to democracy are precious new assets for the Community.

Portugal will bring to the Community its great traditions of trade and adventure. [end p4] The age of discovery may have passed but your understanding and experience of parts of Africa and South America are unsurpassed. Like Britain you have a language which is spoken by more people abroad than in the home country. More of the world's population speak Portuguese than either French or German.

Portugal will be entering the largest area of democracy in the world, with a population of 319 million. It will also be entering the largest market and the largest trading unit in the world. I want the Community of the future to be a great driving force for freer trade, within Europe and across the world. [end p5] It was never meant to be a protectionist organisation but one which worked constantly to reduce barriers to trade. Portugal and Britain, with their shared experience of enterprise and creativity, can and must work within the Community to sustain that objective.

I know that your Association will play a significant part in that task. The merchants of Oporto already have a notable history of safeguarding free trade. I understand that in 1889 the Government attempted to impose a monopoly on the wine trade and that the then Commercial Association of Oporto led the Opposition. [end p6] Despite attempts by the authorities to disrupt the Association's meetings and to arrest its President, the cause of free trade was victorious, with the beneficial results that we all enjoy today.

Trade between Britain and Portugal has a long history but let us look to the future. We shall not again reach the position in which, as at the beginning of this century, the United Kingdom was taking three quarters of Portuguese exports. Britain still remains Portugal's chief export market, taking half a billion pounds worth of Portuguese goods in 1983. [end p7] But our record of exporting to you is not as good. Part of my job is to remedy that.

As I told the British Portuguese Chamber of Commerce yesterday, British exporters regard the new Portugal in its role as a full member of the European Community as a prime target for British goods.

British firms are already investing in Portugal's future and, I believe, will do so increasingly as you overcome the economic problems which have afflicted the whole of the developed world. [end p8]

To take just one example, a team from the British nuclear industry, led by a British Minister, were here last month to show you what they can do. British expertise in this field is second to none and I am delighted that a group of Portuguese engineers will shortly be paying a return visit.

I am also pleased that here in the north we have been able to include in our technical co-operation programme a number of projects in the Douro valley which I hope will be of lasting benefit to the people of the region. [end p9]

On the same theme of co-operation, I understand that Oporto has joined with Bristol in England in a technical and cultural union. Two cities with such similar histories of adventure, trade and exploration will surely find much to bind them together.

[Last week there was a link of a rather different kind when Oporto played Aberdeen in the semi finals of the European Cup Winners Cup. Whatever the result, I am delighted that the Aberdeen supporters proved that the bad behaviour of British football followers abroad is confined to a tiny majority.] [end p10]

Senhor Presidente, since your country and mine and your city and mine have been friends for so long, it is tempting to dwell on the past. I hope I have resisted that temptation. My visit today is in recognition of our joint history but, far more, it is in anticipation of an even better future. It gives me great pleasure therefore to propose a toast to the future of our friendship.