This
discontinuous rayon and continuous rayon and synthetic sweaters. trade is now very important, eg sweaters made from Crisplene, textured acetate rayon ("ricel) and textured Eri-ylon. The Swedish trade statistics show that imports - including imports from the UX - were very considerable in the first nine months of 1969. We also know that the Danes have been using a lot of Crimplene and that the Scandinaviana are proposing to bend the EFTA origin rules to enable then to use non- KITA instead of EFTA textured yarna. The Hong Kong authorities also elaimed that roll-neck shirts have been included under men'a and boya continuous sweaters,
2. Swedish production of wool sweaters fall again in 1969. ©no-third was exported. Production for the home market fell from 19 per cent of total supply in 1967 to 7 per cent in 1969. Imports have risen in spite of a sharp fall in imports from Hong Kong. The main beneficiary was Macao, but the UK and Italy also made progress.
3. Swedish production of gofton sweaters also fall again in 1969. Exports increased and accounted for more than 40 per cent of total production. The Swedish share of the home market fell from 42 per cent in 1967 to 16 per cent in 1969. Imports increased by 70 per cent over the same period. Restrictions were imposed on imports from Hong Kong last year although she supplied less than Denmark and little more than Portugal and Finland. Her prices were also very little below those of Dermark, before payment of duty.
Production of men's and boys' discontinuous synthetis (eg scrylics) greaters increased substantially between 1967 and 1968, and then levelled off. However, the Swedish, share of the market remained virtually the same - at just under 20 per cent because of the rapid increase in imports. Korea is the largest supplier, followed by Hong Kàng, Italy, Danmark and Finland. Imports from the two KPTA countries are increasing rapidly and their prices look reasonably competitive with those of Hong Kong after payment of duty. This item is not at present under restraint and there is no evidence from the Hong Kong expert authorisation that imports from Hong Kong are likely to increase further.
5.
Production of women's and dris' discmtinuous synthetic sweaters fell by nearly half between 1967 and 1968, and then levelled off, but imports and consumption also fall substantially so that the Swedish share of the home market only declined from 16 per eat to 11 per cent. Exports fell alightly to ca-sixth of production. The justification for continuing restrictions on imports from Hong Kong is not apparent. ` Har share of the trade was only 12 per cent and actually fall in 1969. Imports from Denmark and the UI continued to rise and in the case of Dermark the average price was less than that of Hong Kong. Imports from 8.Korea - by far the largest supplier – also fall to a level which we believe van much below the quota.
Conclusion The Swedes have only told us [only] part of the story. The following table combines the figures for the groups which are under restraint or (in one ease) export authorisations.
2.