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1980 May 29 - 1984 Feb 6
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/1219
European policy (Presidency of European Commission; UK Commissioners; official posts in Commission; European Secretariat in Cabinet Office) (Part 1)

Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2014 Jan 3
Classification: Secret
Page count: 287
Themes: European Union (general), European Union Budget, Executive, Executive (appointments), British relations with France, British relations with Italy, British relations with Netherlands, British relations with the Federal Republic of Germany

PREM19/1219 - download whole file (PDF, 38.34 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 21 - 40 of 45

Date Value Title
80 Nov 4 Tu Major European Policy: Cabinet Office minute to No.10 (European Commissioners designate: access to classified papers) [response to MT query] [declassified Jan 2014]
80 Nov 14 Fr Major European Policy: Cabinet Office minute to No.10 ("European Commission Portfolios") ["French attach great importance to getting the Development portfolio... our first priority is... [to] keep the Budget portfolio; possible portfolios for Ivor Richard] [declassified Jan 2014]
80 Nov 17 Mo Major European Policy: Head of the Home Civil Service minute to No.10 ("European Commission: Director General VII (Transport)") [candidate] [declassified Jan 2014]
80 Nov 21 Fr Major European Policy: No.10 record of conversation (MT, President Giscard d'Estaing) [European Commission portfolios & Europe butter stockpile/New Zealand imports] [declassified Jan 2014]
80 Nov 25 Tu Major European Policy: Cabinet Office minute to No.10 ("European Commissioners") [Development portfolio] [declassified Jan 2014]
80 Dec 2 Tu Major European Policy: FCO minute (internal): Hannay to Lord Carrington PS ("Commission Portfolios") [Budget & Social Affairs] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Jan 7 We Major European Policy: No.10 record of conversation (MT, Gaston Thorn) [curtailment of Commissioner's budget responsibility; MT: "would be seen as a deliberate insult to Britain... [and] would have grievous consequences for the whole relationship of Britain with the Community"] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Jan 7 We Major European Policy: Cabinet Office briefing for MT ("Community Affairs") [Greek accession; EC Commissioners: allocation of portfolios; EC Budget irregularities; CAP price fixing] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Jan 8 Th Major European Policy: UKRep Brussels telegram to FCO ("Commission Portfolios") ["Thorn... clearly tried yesterday to pull a fast one on Tugendhat... O'Kennedy is widely felt to have come out of the discussion very badly"] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Jan 9 Fr Major European Policy: No.10 letter to Taoiseach Haughey PS ("Commission Portfolios: message to Mr. Haughey") [informal message from MT to Haughey regarding clash between UK/Irish Commissioners following her intercession with Thorn over downgrading of UK Commissioner's role] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Jan 12 Mo Major European Policy: UKRep Brussels telegram to FCO ("Commission Portfolios: Prime Ministers conversation with Thorn") [MT intercession with Gaston Thorn over perceived downgrading of the role/responsibilities of Tugendhat as Budget Commissioner] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Jan 14 We Major European Policy: MT letter to Christopher Tugendhat (allocation of Commission portfolios) [acknowledges letter of thanks for her intercession with Gaston Thorn] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Jan 14 We Major European Policy: Cabinet Office briefing for MT ("Community Affairs") [agriculture/fisheries portfolios; Spanish accession; Peter Walker talks with French counterpart] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Jan 21 We Major European Policy: Cabinet Office briefing for MT ("Cabinet: Community Affairs") [Danish Commissioner; budgets; agriculture portfolio] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Feb 19 Th Major European Policy: Cabinet Office briefing for MT ("A1 Posts in the Commission") [Energy & Transport; "would be helpful if... [MT] could make clear to... [M. Thorn] that she personally attaches importance to maintaining a proper balance commensurate with the position of France and Germany"] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Apr 10 Fr Major European Policy: Lord Carrington PS letter to No.10 ("Commisson Staffing: Post of Deputy Secretary General of the European Commission") [British candidate: assessment of nominee] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Apr 24 Fr Major European Policy: Head of the Home Civil Service minute to No.10 ("DG VII (Transport), European Commisson") ["the Commission wish to appoint another Briton"; candidates] [declassified Jan 2014]
81 Jun 23 Tu Major European Policy: Jopling PS letter to No.10 ("Council of Europe and Western European Union (Delegation)") ["the Labour Party has a vacancy to fill in their substitute members"; Parliamentary Written Answer] [declassified Jan 2014]
82 Jun 14 Mo Major European Policy: Cabinet Office minute to MT ("European Community Appointment: Director General for External Relations") ["there has been a history of strained relations... very much in British interests that... [this] key post... should continue to be filled by a Briton"] [declassified Jan 2014]
82 Nov 23 Tu Major European Policy: Pym minute to MT ("Reappointment of M. Thorn") ["recommend that we should agree... despite his undoubted shortcomings"] [declassified Jan 2014]