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Treaty of Rome import quotas as well as tariffs should be
averaged among member States.
25. Mr. Haddon-Cave requested an indication from the Board of
Trade on the future role of textile imports. If no reduction
were contemplated, how was it proposed to harmonise present UK
policy with Community policy, since it was unlikely that the
latter would be greatly modified as a result of UK accession
to the Six. Did the UK believe in fact that its import policy
could be harmonised with that of the E.E.C.? On being asked
whether Hong Kong would prefer the establishment of a Community
quota to the present system of national quotas, Mr. Haddon-Cave
replied that Hong Kong wished to see its present access rights
to the UK and E.E.C. markets unimpaired by British entry into
E.E.C.
26. Sir A. Snelling thought that the UK ought to be able to
reply to these points by October since detailed negotiations
would begin after the application to join E.E.C. had been con-
sidered by the Commission. The UK's general strategy might be
to aim at manoeuvering the French into adopting a line contrary
to declared Community policy and this might be most effectively
done if the UK were to adhere to the orthodox Communitaire
doctrine of common quotas and free circulation of goods within
the market.
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