East Germany Trade Europe

The European Community's Executive Commission proposed to establish a customs union with East Germany pending that country's inclusion in the 12-nation bloc. The proposal provides for "the establishment of a de facto customs union between the European Community" and East Germany in the period preceding unification, according to a statement issued in Brussels.

European Community foreign ministers meet today in the Belgian capital to develop provisional rules for integrating East Germany into the 12-nation economic and political group at a pace faster than originally planned. When EC leaders first discussed bringing East Germany on board earlier this year, they assumed German unity would probably occur in late 1991. Now it is expected in mid-October, and could come even earlier.

European Community foreign ministers meet today in the Belgian capital to develop provisional rules for integrating East Germany into the 12-nation economic and political group at a pace faster than originally planned. When EC leaders first discussed bringing East Germany on board earlier this year, they assumed German unity would probably occur in late 1991. Now it is expected in mid-October, and could come even earlier.

The European Community's Executive Commission proposed to establish a customs union with East Germany pending that country's inclusion in the 12-nation bloc. The proposal provides for "the establishment of a de facto customs union between the European Community" and East Germany in the period preceding unification, according to a statement issued in Brussels.