the European Economic Community in 1961 and 1967 were blocked by the French, but eventually, on 1 January 1973, the United Kingdom became a European Communities member state after France formally lifted its veto on UK membership. One of the issues covered in the negotiations about the United Kingdom's entry to the EEC was the problem of "sterling balances", balances held in sterling in London by governments of countries which were members of the sterling area, in many cases the result of debts incurred by Britain during the war. France argued that these obligations were potentially a threat to the stability of the pound, and that this could cause turbulence for the whole of the EEC. Agreement on winding down these balances was thus a necessary part of the agreement for Britain to join the EEC, and removed the main reason for continuing the area. Gibraltar was re-included into the new miniature sterling area on 1 January 1973, and the other sterling area countries responded as they chose in fact, some of these countries had already taken similar measures throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Following the British government's decision in June 1972, some countries immediately copied the British government, and others did so over the next few months. Singapore continued operating sterling area exchange controls until as late as 1978, and Brunei did not alter its sterling area exchange controls until the year 2001. After 1972 the sterling area was no longer what it had been, but the United Kingdom still recognised the existence of the 'overseas sterling area' as a distinct group of countries for the purposes of exchange control policy. In 1979, due to an improving economic situation and changed patterns of trade between Britain and the rest of the Commonwealth, Britain removed all its exchange controls: the sterling area had effectively ceased to exist. The United Kingdom's pursuits to join EEC, from 1961 till its attainment of EEC membership in 1973, slowly phased out the privileged commercial ties of Commonwealth and UK. A period after 1973 saw further decline to the special trade links the Commonwealth nations had with the United Kingdom, and ended their privileged access to UK markets. Most members of the sterling area left the bloc to peg their currencies with the United States dollar. List of original member countries Aden Sudan Australia until 1910 Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Basutoland (Lesotho) Bermuda Botswana British