3.
4
"CONFIDENTIAL
TEXTILE IMPORT POLICY
DRAFT PASSAGE FOR INCLUSION IN MINISTER'S
SPEECH FOR THE AFFIRMATIVE RESOLUTION
DEBATE
The decision to introduce a tariff on
the
कृ
cotton textiles imported from Commonwealth
Preference Area was announced by the then
President of the Board ofTrade on 22 July
1969 and endorsed by this Government
after taking office. It followed a
by
recommendation which the industry's own
two-
Textile Council, after a 2 year Productivity
and Efficiency Study, that the tariff would
offer a margin of protection that wąs
stable and predictable and would enable
the industry to plan ahead with confidence.
It was made clear that the decision would
be subject to any modifications required
if we joined the EEC. The Government also
indicated that, although it was the
intention to terminate the general quota
system when the tariff came into effect,
the use of quotas would be considered
under the Long Term Arrangement of the GATT
if total imports rose above present levels
/and if
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