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RECEIVED IN. ARCHIVISIO: 411
31 MXR949
2457 MITO 152.
26th March 1969.
CONFIDENTIAL
UNCTAD : Tariff Preferences
As arranged, I entertained Tran of the EEC Commission to lunch yesterday. We had a pretty wide and lengthy discussion about both tariff preferences and Commodity Policy within UNCTAD but the (of which he is apparently the Commission's "desk" man) substantive part of the discussion related to the treatment of Hong Kong.
2. He went over with me the ground which he discussed with you on 20th March and which you have reported in your letter to Coldsmith of that date. He gave me copies of the papers he had handed to you.
He also gave me an additional table, a copy of which I attach. This consiste first of the list of sensitive imports from Hong Kong which was attached to Derek Jones' letter of 28th January to the Commerce and Industry Department in long Kong and which lists items on which Hong Kong could accept
restraints on duty free entry and other items where imports from other developing countries are significantly larger than those from Hong Kong or where developing countries have only a small share in the Community's imports. Attached to this is the relevant in ort statistics for 1967 under tariff number and statistical numbers with the values given in millions of dollars. The total value of these tariff headings is just over 20m. dollars out of total dutiable imports in 1967 under Chapters 25-99 from Hong Kong of 109.m dollars. Mr. Tran also gave me a manuscript schedule of the Community's dutiable imports and I can provide copies of this if it is not already available.
3. I can add little to the account given in your letter of the
Tran said to 20th March on the current position on this issue. me that he was very much more optimistic than is suggested in paragraph 4 of your letter that a solution on these lines will be
It remains to be seen of course accepted within the Community. what the level of the confidential bilateral quotas will be for Hong Kong within the global quotas for all develo, ing countries. No doubt the figure will vary from item to item.
Mr. D.H.A.llannay,
U.K.Del. to the European Communities,
26, rue Joseph II,
Brussels 4, Belgium.
14.
690.