NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN
CONFIDENTIAL
with a stop-gap situation of what to do in 1972, and that
stop-gap therefore, whilst one/recognises the inter relationship
Whilst one three
therefore they
they argue that
between cotton and non-cotton textiles, we should
at of
are should keep separate, and not focus on now, a longer-term
multi-fibre policy. To the extent that a combination
of the suggested action for cotton textiles and semi-
hon-action for non-cotton textiles provides a solution
to the immediate pressure on the Government, the DTI
thesis is beguiling. The danger in it however is that
whilst looking at the short term, even while saying we
must as far as possible facilitate harmonisation in due
course with the EEC, the effect on any long-term policy
may be to produce yet another hiccup in this long bout
indigestion. 7. The Community can be said to have a
(? slightly restrictive) policy on cotton textiles, but
there is no Community policy on man-made fibres (although
some of the Six do have voluntary restraint
arrangements). To adopt the short-term could therefore
lead us into reacting in the medium-term to whatever
multi-fibre policy the EEC finally decide might be
right. The question is whether it would not be in the
broader interests of Britain, and particularly the freer
trade and benefit to developing countries posture we
would wish to take into the Community, to closely relate
what we want to do on stopgap to what we would like to
happen on multi-fibres.
hos
may consider
It is possible that Ministers will find this too
hypothetical in their current difficulties, and
certainly there would be much to be done, not least in
improving large gaps in our knowledge on what the EEC