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00 UKREP BRUSSELS DESKBY 190700Z
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CONFIDENTIAL
FRAME EXTERNAL
FM F C O 181703Z MAY 82
TO IMMEDIATE UKREP BRUSSELS
TELEGRAM NUMBER 442 OF 18 MAY,
SAVING TO LISBON
PORTUGUESE ACCESSION GROUP : 19 MAY.
EXTERNAL RELATIONS (T/TAP/84-86)
1. WE CAN AGREE TO EXISTING QRS ON 4 MORE CATGEGORIES OF PRO-
DUCTS FROM GATT COUNTRIES (P3) BEING EXTENDED FOR A TRANSITTIONAL
PERIOD POST-ACCESSION: SIMILARLY TO TWO ADDITIONS TO JAPANESE
LISAT (P7).
2. YOU SHOULD NOT ACCEPT PORTUGUESE JUSTIFICATIONS EN BLOC,
BUT IF THERE IS DOUBT ABOUT COMMISSION'S REASONS FOR REJECTION
OF ANYU PARTICULAR ITEM ON GATT LIST YOU SHOULD SUPPORT OTHERS
IN ARGUING FOR PORTUGAL TO BE ALLOWED TO MAINTAIN EXISTING QRS
BEYOND THOSE ALREADY ACCEPTED BY COMMISSION. (DESPITE COMMISSION'S
FINAL COMMENTS (P17))
3. AGREE THAT STATE TRADERS CANNOT BE GIVEN BETTER ACCESS THAN
GATT COUNTRIES AND THAT THEREFORE 70.10, 73.10 AND 85.19 MUST
REMAIN UNDER TRANSITIONAL QRS.
4. ACCEPT COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS FOR A MEXICMUM LIST OF 17
PRODUCTS WHICH MIGHT BE SUBJECT TO TRANSITIONAL QRS TOWARDS 4
PREFERENTIAL PARTNERS (BUT EXCLUDING EFTA), SUBJECT TO SUBSEQUENT
NEGOTIATION OF THE ADAPTATION PROTOCOLS.
CUSTOMS UNION (CONF-P/24/82)
5. WILL ANNEX BE AMENDED IN LIGHT OF OUTCOME OF RECENT PROTOCOL NEGOTIATIONS WHICH LED TO SOME CHANGES IN TARIFF HEAD-
INGS?
6.
FEEL PORTUGUESE INDUSTRY WOULD BENEFIT FROM A STEADIER PROGRESSION OF LOWERING DUTIES RATHER THAN LARGE, INFREQUENT REDUCTIONS PROPOSED OVER 6 YEAR (PROBABLY) TRANSITION PERIOD THEY
THIS IS UNNECESSARILY EXTENDED.
ARE REQUESTING.
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