The European Economic Community and U.S. Cotton Exports

Excerpts from the report: The European Economic Community was created by the Treaty of Rome in 1957 and is commonly referred to as the Common Market. The Community ranks as the fourth largest consumer of cotton after the United States, Mainland China, and U.S.S.R. In 1960, consumption of cotton by the six EEC countries represented about 20 percent of total cotton consumption in the foreign free world. The prospects for expanded consumption in the Community appear to be encouraging. The economic level in the EEC countries is expected to continue to rise. This probably will be reflected in a larger consumption of textile products and increased demand for textile fibers. Cotton's share of the increased textile consumption and the markets available for U.S. cotton will largely depend on the competitive position of cotton relative to synthetic fibers