0003230
G.F. 323
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- 5 -
cited the restraint on cotton shirts, which were subsequently liberalised, as an example of a restraint being lifted when it became superfluous. Mr. Haerum said the Norwegian delegation would not be able to use the figures presented at the first session to decide whether restraint was necessary. Referring to the usual procedure under Article 3 of the Cotton Textiles Arrangement, Mr. Engebrigtsen said that since Norway requested consultations in March 1968, the figures used as the basis for restraint should be those in respect of the calendar year 1967.
17.
Mr. Jordan repeated that the trade was declining in 1968 and asked that the Norwegian side reconsider their stand in the light of the following figures
Item
841.451
841.117
Jan.-Dec. 1967
Sept.1967-Aug.1968
12,255 doz.
4,586 doz.
69,146 doz.
36,584 doz.
36,950 doz.
841.134
26,994 doz.
If they still felt that some form of control, including restraint, was necessary, then figures of Hong Kong 1967 exports could be used as the basis of discussion. Mr. Haerum agreed to review the matter in this light.
Non-Cotton Items
18.
Mr. Jordan said a falling trend similar to that for shipments of infants' cotton underwear (item 841.451) was also apparent in women's and girls' woollen and synthetic knitwear (items 841.465 and 841.866); although export figures for a whole year were not available. Mr. Engebrigtsen disagreed. Referring to Table 20 of the Norwegian statistics (Annex 5), he pointed out that while Hong Kong exports of woollen knitwear to Norway were only steady, there was an increase in exports of synthetic knitwear (item 841.866) from 36 metric tons in the first half of 1967 to 50 metric tons in the same period in 1968. This was a continuing feature as Table 2A of the Norwegian statistics showed that imports from Hong Kong had increased from 36 metric tons in 1966 to 62 metric tons in 1967. Although seven other countries had increased their share in the market, none had done so to such an extent as Hong Kong. Moreover, imports from Poland, Japan, China, Macao and South Korea were already under restriction. Another disruptive factor was the low price of Hong Kong goods.
19
01
ineteen knitting mills in operation up to 1967, Mr. Engebrigtsen continued, six were now closed and a further six in serious financial difficulty. Production had dropped by 50% between 1966 and 1967. Although Sweden and Denmark were also big suppliers, he believed that if Hong Kong offered restraint as requested. the Norwegian industry could compete with imports from those countries, as the domestic industry was improving its products in both quality and presentation and the goods produced by their Scandinavian neighbours were in the same price range. Italian synthetic knitwear was fairly low priced, but, after a spectacular start, imports from this source had dropped from 75 metric tons in 1966 to 69 metric tons in 1967.
20.
He stressed that the problem facing the Norwegian industry was not imported garments of any particular fibre but the aggregate level of garment imports of all fibres. In practice, wool and certain
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/synthetic