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RR HONGAID
RR BRUSSELS
GRPS 168
EN CLAIR
FM HONG KONG 310345Z CFAAME FINES]
UNCLASSIFIED
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HD/HKIUP 19
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EUROPEAN ECONOMIC DISTN
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Mo Hall Hawr
Hatt
TO ROUTINE F C O TELNO 128 OF 31ST JANUARY, 1974. INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON AND BRUSSELS (FOR DODGE).
ENLARGED EEC'S GPS.
IN AN ARTICLE QUOTE BRITAIN'S NEW IMPORT PREFERENCE UNQUOTE IN FINANCIAL TIMES OF 15TH JANUARY 1974, FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS APPEAR
'FOR ONE THING, THE CALCULATION OF THE QUOTAS BY THE EEC COMMISSION HAS BEEN MADE ON THE ARBITRARY BASIS OF TAKING A FIGURE FOR ALL PRODUCTS SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN WEST GERMANY'S QUOTAS. THE AIM IS FOR GERMANY TO TAKE ABOUT 27 PER CENT OF THE COMMUNITY'S DUTY-FREE TEXTILE IMPORTS, BRITAIN ABOUT 22 ,PER CENT.
BUT WHEN THIS ARITHMETIC IS APPLIED TO EACH CATECORY OF PRODUCT THE RESULTS ARE PLAINLY RIDICULOUS. FOR SOME SENSITIVE NON-COTTON ITEMS THE DUTY FREE QUOTAS ARE ONE AND A HALF TIMES BRITAIN'S ACTUAL IMPORTS IN 1972.''
IF THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE CORRECT, GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW THE SENSITIVE NON-COTTON ITEMS REFERRED TO TOGETHER WITH THER RELEVANT STATISTICS, IF POSSIBLE. PRESUMABLY THE SAME COULD APPLY TO SOME NON-TEXTILE ITEMS. IF SO, COULD WE PLEASE HAVE DETAILS OF THESE ALSO?
MACLEHOSE
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SENT AT 31/0355Z RD
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