4. DIRECT IMPORTS FROM HONG KONG OF WOVEN FABRICS OF SYNTHETIC
FIBRES HAVE INCREASED CONSIDERABLY FROM 6121 MT IN 1976 TO 6892 MT IN 1977 (12.6 PERCENT), OVERALL IMPORT PENETRATION FROM ALL SOURCES IN THIS SECTOR OF THE UK MARKET HAS INCREASED FROM APPROX 57 PCENT
IN 1976 TO APPROX 60 PERCENT IN 1977 AND TO ALMOST 63 PERCENT IN
THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1978. IMPORTS IN THIS SECTOR FROM ALL THIRD
COUNTRIES ROSE FROM 22022MT IN 1976 TO 23,907 MT IN 1977 PERCENT), HONG KONG SYNTHETIC CLOTH IMPORTS ACCOUNTED FOR 11. Lj PERCENT OF HOME CONSUMPTION IN 1976 RISING TO ALMOST 12.3 PERCENT
IN 1977 BEING THE LARGEST SUPPLIER OF SYNTHETIC CLOTH FROM THIRD COUNTRIES AT TRADITIONALLY VERY LOW PRICES (48 PERCENT BELOW HOME MARKET AVERAGE PRICE).
8.5
5. THE UK FABRIC INDUSTRY IS CURRENTLY SUFFERING DIFFICULTIES AND DISRUPTION THROUGH HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT. OVER 6 PERCENT (2,759 PEOPLE)
OF THE TOTAL WORK FORCE IS CURRENTLY OUT OF WORK AND A NUMBER OF
THOSE EMPLOYED ARE ON SHORT-TIME WORKING. THERE HAS BEEN A
CONTRACTION OF OVER 5 PERCENT IN THE NUMBERS OF THE AVAILABLE WORK
FORCE BETWEEN MAY 1977 AND MAY 1978. THE GRANTING OF IMPORT
LICENCES OUTSIDE THE HONG KONG QUOTA COULD THEREFORE LEAD TO
FURTHER DEMAND FOR SIMILAR IMPORTS THUS AGGRAVATING THE SITUATION
STILL FURTHER.
6. THE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY ARTICLE 3 OF THE COMMISSION'S
DECISION OF 12 MAY 1971 13 AS FOLLOWS:
(1) TARIFF HEADING # 5697 : 1747
(11) COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: HONG KONG (111) UK QUOTA # 6568 T
a
((V) EXPORTING MEMBER STATE : FRANCE
(V) THERE HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY RECORDED INDIRECT IMPORTS UNDER ABOVE TARIFF HEADING IN 1978-FROM HONG KONG 64,818 KGS (3 CONSIGNMENTS) FROM OTHER THIRD COUNTRIES: 19,578 KGS (2 CONS)
(VI) THE APPLICATION FOR AN IMPORT LICENCE WAS LODGED ON
1 AUGUST 1973.
OVEN
FILES
EID (E)
HK YG D
MR HIBBERT HR STRATTON
2
COPIES TO
MISS L MAXWELL, GEN DIVN DOT
MR SPENCER,
MISS MARR,
HR FACEBOR.N MR BIRD,
CREI
DOT
CT DIVN. DOI
CUSTOMS Y EXCISE
OFFICE
CABINET