CONFIDENTIAL S
2
(Annex 1)
!
1:
1.1
EEC policies as they are apparently developing
At the meeting of the Textiles Committee of
the GATT in July 1977, the EEC made a statement declaring its position on the future of the Multi Fibre Arrangement.. The significant elements from Hong Kong's point of view and a summary of the subsequent developments in the Committee are at Annex 1.
1.2
Informal talks were held in Hong Kong on
8th and 9th August between a team of EEC Commission officials led by Mr. Tran Van Thinh, Special Representative for Textiles Negotiations, and officials of the Trade, Industry and Customs Department of the Hong Kong
Government. The purpose of this visit, one of a series
to major suppliers, was to enable him to draft a
negotiating mandate for bilateral agreements to be put to Member States for approval in September.
1.3
Mr. Tran outlined certain proposals, the most
important elements of which were :
(a) for 8 items which the EEC. regards as
very sensitive, both economically and
politically, the proposed limits for 7 volve
of them would involve cut-backs on the
restraint limits for 1977 in the
current EEC/HK bilateral agreement
ranging from 3% to 39% and would in
6 of the 7 cases involve reductions
/from
G.F. 326
K