Common Market: The Halfway Mark

While Europe's statesmen bickered over conflicting plans for political union, the Common Market last week passed the halfway mark in its drive for European economic unity. Racing 2½ years ahead of its original program, which calls for reduction of internal customs barriers in three easy stages until they are abolished entirely by 1970, the Common Market's Council of Ministers voted unanimously in Brussels to start its second round of tariff cutting next July 1 instead of waiting until 1965. According to the accelerated schedule, which had been tentatively agreed upon in May 1960, customs duties between the six member...