CONF
CYPHER/CAT A
ROUTINE UXDEL EEC BRUSSELS
TELEGRAM NUMBER 43
CONFIDENTIAL
NE RAL
CONFIDENTIAL
TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
4 MARCH 1969
ADDRESSED TO F C O TELEGRAM NUMBER 43 OF 4 MARCH REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO UKDEL OECD AND SAVING TO BONN THE HAGUE LUXEMBOURG PARIS ROME WASHINGTON UKMIS GENEVA AND BRUSSELS.
COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES: 3-4 MARCH. GENERALISED PREFERENCES FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
THE COUNCIL AGREED ON 4 MARCH THE TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY'S OFFER ON GENERALISED PREFERENCES FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO BE TABLED
WITH THE OECD.
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2. THE COMMUNITY OFFER FOLLOWS THE LINES OF THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL (COPY ENCLOSED WITH HANNAY'S LETTER TO GOLDSMITH OF /7 FEBRUARY: NOT TO ALL). THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE CRITERIA FOR
DECIDING BENEFICIARY COUNTRIES. THE BELGIANS LIFTED THEIR RESERVE ON THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL IN RETURN FOR THE INSERTION OF THE PHRASE - QUOTE AS A GENERAL RULE UNQUOTE INTO THE STATEMENT IN THE OFFER QUOTE THE PREFERENCE WILL CONSIST IN THE GRANTING OF FREEDOM FROM CUSTOMS DUTIES UNQUOTE. BUT THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION OF PRODUCTS ON WHICH SUCH FREEDOM OF ENTRY SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED AND THE COMMUNITY OFFER WILL THEREFORE GO TO THE OECD WITHOUT AN EXCLUSIONS LIST.
3. WE ARE TOLD THAT THE COMMUNITY OFFER WILL BE PASSED TO OECD
BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK.
4. PLEASE PASS ADVANCE COPY TO GOLDSMITH, BOT.
FCO PASS TO UKDEL CECD AND SAVING TO BONN THE HAGUE LUXEMBOURG PARIS ROME WASHINGTON UKMIS GENEVA,
PASSED SAVING TO BRUSSELS.
SIR J. MARJORIBANKS
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
[ADVANCE COPY SENT TO MR. GOLDSMITH
B.O.T.]
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