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surge of imports from China while EC exporters
remained limited in their ability to compete in
But China has MFN status
the Chinese market.
already under the EC-China Agreement, and it is
probably not realistic to seek GATT terms less
favourable than present rules. However the EC
could apply Article XXXV to secure this exception
if China acceded on otherwise unsatisfactory
terms.
(b)
Quantitative Restrictions:
Under the present State Trading protocols of
accession to GATT, the UK may not impose new QRS
on say, Poland, and may not increase the level of
discrimination represented by existing QRs. In
practice the latter provision has been loosely
applied. The UK could seek a provision in China's
protocol which permitted additional QRS,
if
necessary without prior consultation. This would
amount to a special safeguard clause,
uncompensated, selective and without test of
injury.
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