The Plan G was plucked from an alphabetic list of treasury options and basically consisted of a proposal for a European Free Trade area: all the trade and none of the politics. Although the Six were far advanced, their project had not reached its final shape before Plan G emerged, and it was the British ambition to supplant their fierce and narrow concept with a softer, broader one. The Six would be at the core of the EFTA but the membership would be wider and there would be no common customs barrier. The members would continue to have their separate tariffs against the outside world and not disturbing any of Britain's historic buying and selling links with the Commonwealth. Moreover, the EFTA would not include any agriculture at all. The old deals for food would stay the same. It was a purely industrial arrangement. The supporters of this scheme agreed that the plan would be the final advantage to British industry. The Commonwealth and Empire constituted a powerful force, politically and militarily, as well as economically.
A European Free Trade Area would create a market comparable in size and resources to the United States of America. The scheme would give the British an opportunity of re-establishing the commercial leadership of Europe. They believed that if they could act quickly they had a good chance of getting general agreement. Of course there would be difficulties and disappointments on the agricultural side, but it was common knowledge that the Six would have great problems to overcome amongst themselves. They weren't without hope that the countries of Europe as a whole would see a great gain in the additional strength given to Europe by the Free Trade Area. They might have to make some concessions here and there, but they believed that the scheme could be made to hold the field. There would, of course, be criticism of the proposal to exclude foodstuffs from the Free Trade Area.
