3
RESTRICTED
those actually applied and where the Community has a good trade
interest and should make up the outstanding leeway through greater
concessions on processed agricultural products such as whisky;
she might also quite reasonably, and probably as a gesture separate
from the MTNs, make her MTN reductions in a single step while countries
not in such gross surplus space their reductions over a number of years.
REQUESTS TO THE EEC
7
The Community is now receiving a growing number of requests for
improvements or modifications to its tariff offer on which the
comments of sponsoring divisions are being sought. The US have asked for greater than formula cuts on a wide range of products (including
some on the EEC "hard-core list") while some of the LDC's are
asking for less than formula cuts (or total exceptions) to protect
their GSP preferences. A difficult balancing act will be required in
this area over the next few months.
THE COMMUNITY'S AGRICULTURAL OFFER
8
In consultations with other countries strong criticism has been
expressed of the inadequacy of the offer circulated in January. There
will have to be consideration of improvements sometime but there have
been none as yet.
THE AGRICULTURAL OFFERS OF OTHER COUNTRIES
9
Similarly, in those same consultations the Community has pressed
its view that improvements should be made in offers made on products
of Community interest, but without securing much in the way of
response. A problem is that while the UK, with its interests in exports
of whisky, tobacco manufactures and a range of processed foodstuffs, has
a major interest in better access for agriculture in third markets, it