Catalogue description Records of Trade and International Concerns

International Relations, 1889-1945

The early interest of the Board of Agriculture in the field of external relations covered aspects of international co-operation in research, information and the control of plant and animal diseases. Close links were maintained with the International Institute of Agriculture, founded in 1909. After the First World War the ministry became involved in the agricultural aspects of various international and imperial conferences and the work of the League of Nations agricultural committees. The adoption of protective policies in the 1930s for agriculture increased the significance of international relations in the ministry's work. At this stage, however, no separate division was established to deal with these matters, questions being dealt with ad hoc by the branch or division involved, working where necessary with the Foreign Office or the Board of Trade.

International Relations, 1945-

In 1948 a European Recovery Programme (Marshall Aid) Branch was established in the General Division to handle the ministry's activities in relation to this plan, and in 1949 it was established as a separate European Recovery Programme and Trade Policy Division. In 1953, following the ending of Marshall Aid, the division was renamed the International Affairs and Trade Policy Division. The division handled all aspects of the ministry's relations with foreign countries and international organisations. In 1956, following the merger with the Ministry of Food, the division was renamed the External Relations Division, although it was quickly divided into two separate divisions. External Relations Division I dealt with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), import/export policy and commodities policy, duty relief, quotas, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the various United Nations food organisations, and food aid issues. External Relations Division II dealt with relations with other countries and with the European Economic Community (except for 1961-1963 and from 1972 onwards), and from 1976 with export promotion. Responsibility for co-ordinating United Kingdom relations with the Food and Agriculture Organisation passed from Division I of the ministry to the new Ministry of Overseas Development in January 1965.

In 1982 the two divisions were combined to form a single External Relations Division. In 1988 the division was again split in two. An External Trade Policy Division (from 1991 the Trade Policy and Tropical Foods Division) handled the ministry's relations with GATT, the European Free Trade Area, OECD, the United Nations, and European Community agricultural relations with non-EC states. An External Relations and Trade Promotions Division dealt with the UK's bilateral relations with non-EC states, food aid matters, and trade promotion and support for UK food exporting companies. In 1990, this division was split further, External Relations and Trade Promotions Division I performing these functions for non-communist countries, while Division II dealt with Sino-Soviet bloc states, and liaison with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Overseas Development Administration. When the two divisions were re-unified in 1992, the separate special Soviet bloc unit was retained until 1994 when its work was absorbed into the main body of the division. In 1995 the division was renamed International Relations and Export Promotion Division.

Relations with the European Community, 1961-

External Relations Division III was established in 1961-1963 to deal with agricultural aspects of the United Kingdom's entry negotiations with the European Economic Community. When the United Kingdom eventually joined the community in 1972, the European Economic Community Divisions I and II were formed. Division I dealt with general co-ordination of the Ministry's relations, liaison with the United Kingdom permanent representative, and monetary questions, while Division II handled legal and parliamentary aspects and bilateral relations with other community states. As the community developed, each division gained responsibilities, Division I becoming responsible for liaison with the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce, and input to the Common Agricultural Policy, while Division II handled the European Regional Development Fund and questions relating to enlargement of the community.

In 1983 a Division III was created, to handle the annual review of agriculture (previously dealt with in Division I), liaison with the Home Office on questions relating to the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, state aids to agriculture, and relations with OECD. The division was abolished in 1984, and its functions distributed amongst Division I and II. Matters relating to the creation of a single internal market for the community, community surplus food schemes and the Channel Tunnel were dealt with by Division II. The nomenclature of these divisions changed with that of the community, European Economic Community Divisions becoming European Community Divisions in 1980, becoming in turn European Union Divisions in 1994. In April 1996, following a brief reversion to the title 'European Community', the Division II was re-named European Union Division II. At the same time a new CAP Schemes Management Division was created to replace part of the Regional Services Division, and deal with the UK's policy on the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS, commonly known as the Common Agricultural Policy or CAP), as well as dealing with European Community fraud and control issues.