Chamberlain also proposed an imperial economic union or customs union with free trade within the empire and tariffs against goods from outside of it . The colonies , however , passed a resolution rejecting imperial free trade . A resolution in favour of imperial preference as proposed by Canada was approved and Chamberlain agreed to bring the idea to the British government . However , this plan was not implemented until the British Empire Economic Conference in 1932
British Empire Economic Conference
British Empire Economic Conference
1902 Colonial Conference