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Third Countries' it is briefly stated that 'a special problem
arises with respect to imports from Hong Kong'.
The context
is no real help in detecting just what the Commission are
getting at, but it would be prudent to assume that they mean
'a problem for the Community' and not 'a problem for
Hong Kong'.
9. The Report recommends that the transitional periods
should be the same for industry and for agriculture, and goes
on to say that 'the best way of maintaining a certain degree
of unity of the internal market in the wider Community would
be for the starting date, the duration and the rhythm of
development of the transitional period to be the same for all
exceptional arrangements
to be kept the acceding countries and for sø few cystems as possible të
to
a
minimum.
be-exceptions to this'. It does not, therefore, look as
if the Commission will be favourably disposed towards the
revival of the concept of 'soft decalage
10.
The section on the abolition of impediments to intra-
Community trade contains the following passages:-
'The elimination of impediments to trade, even when
done progressively, could lead to certain difficulties
in 'sensitive sectors' which were dealt with separately
under the Kennedy negotiations.........The very wide
divergences between the commercial and industrial
policy of Great Britain and the Community in a sector
such as the textile industry could also raise delicate
problems for the Community's industry, which as a
result of the agreements recently concluded in Geneva
is already required to leave an increasing part of the
market to developing countries.'
The following passage in the section on the application of
the common customs tariff may also be relevant:-
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/'Furthermore