Where the Sellers Are

For non-Europeans, sober reflection was the only possible response to a report issued last week by the 42-nation General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. In its annual survey of international trade, GATT found that Western Europe--and particularly the six-nation Common Market--was the only major part of the world that substantially expanded its foreign commerce in 1961. Items: > Total world exports rose 4% last year to $131 billion, but the increase was far below 1960's spurt of 11%. Reason: a general slowdown in economic expansion. >Trade among Western European nations--up from $29 billion to $33 billion --accounted for two-thirds of the world increase in exports. European exports of the Common Market Six were responsible for half the world increase.

>In all, Western Europe accounted for 41% of the world's exports, the Common Market alone 25%, and the U.S. 16%. > Total U.S. exports, which rose sharply in 1960, leveled off last year at about $21 billion. One revealing shift in trade patterns: the Common Market nations increased their imports of U.S. and Canadian manufactured goods by $250 million, while the seven members of the British-led European Free Trade Area cut theirs by $400 million.

> European nations rang up the biggest increases in exports of manufactured goods. Some of the heavy gainers: Italy (16%), Sweden (12%), West Germany (11%), Switzerland (10%). The U.S. gain worldwide: practically none.

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