Item 1976/3 - Simpson Notebooks: Europe

1 item, paper

Includes notes on:

(1) the political situation in Corsica

(2) scandal within the Dutch Royal family

(3) drought and possible problems with the water supply during a very hot summer

(4) negotiations to solve the dairy surplus, fish quotas, and other agricultural issues

(5) statements made by Dr David Owen about Tindenan’s report, and other European negotiations

(6) notes on inaccuracies in language used when reporting in news bulletins on the EEC and Common Market

(7) proposals for European passport

• Corsica underwent a profound political transformation during 1976, transitioning into two départements (Corse-du-Sud and Haute-Corse). It was a year that saw the birth of the National Liberation Front of Corsica (FLNC), which launched its first wave of attacks on the night of 4 May

• the press reported that Prince Bernhard had accepted a US$1.1 million bribe from U.S. aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Corporation to influence the Dutch government's purchase of fighter aircraft and Queen Juliana of the Netherlands threatened to abdicate if he was not exonerated in a report

• Britain experience an unusually hot summer and there was a severe drought. It was one of the driest, sunniest and warmest summers (June/July/August) in the 20th century

• at the conclusion of the Paris Summit in 1974, Leo Tindemans (Prime Minister of Belgium) was asked to write a report to define what was meant by the term 'European Union’