A
Mr Crowson
стервоп
Mr Stuar Stuan
Mr Youde
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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 01
13 MAY 1974
HKK 6/598/
41
Br Canon Is 17. Goodfellas PA
A288/5
+2
10:0
agree with Mr. Straat's minute belas.
M. Slank.
Goroga
PS/Lord Goropwy-Roberts
6/5
HONG KONG: EEC GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES
1.
When he called on Lord Goronwy-Roberts on 18 April
Mr Herries (Chairman of the Hong Kong Association) handed the
attached newspaper cuttings to the Minister. Lord Goronwy-Roberts
has asked for the Department's comments.
2.
The subject of both is a Committee formed in Hong Kong
to press for the inclusion of Hong Kong's textile and footwear
exports in the EEC Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP). The
articles are substantially correct. There is certainly strong
feeling in Hong Kong over the exclusion of these items.
(Textiles are Hong Kong's major export). The evidence that their
exports have been severely affected by this exclusion is,
however, not strong.
BACKGROUND
3.
In February 1971 we agreed with the Six, during the
enlargement negotiations, that Hong Kong should be admitted to
the Community's GSP, subject to the exclusion of her textile and
footwear exports. As some of Hong Kong's principal competitors
among the developing countries receive benefits in these
categories, we have, since 1 January 1974, on aligning to the
/Community's
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