Commonwealth Office: Common Market Department: Registered Files (EC Series)

During the United Kingdom's first, unsuccessful application to join the European Economic Community, a separate Common Market Department had been established in the Commonwealth Relations Office to consider policy matters affecting other Commonwealth states should the United Kingdom have joined.

The same pattern was followed in the Commonwealth Office when the United Kingdom renewed its application in 1967, and a second Common Market Department was established. This remained in place until the formation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in October 1968, when responsibility for Commonwealth relations and the Community passed to the European Economic Integration Department, formed from the respective Commonwealth Office and Foreign Office departments which had previously been dealing with the issue in tandem.