THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 1974
IMPROVED AGREEIENT FOR TEXTILE
EXPERTS TO SUBCON
HONG KONG HAS SECURED MORE LICENAL TER.13 FOR ITS TEXTILE EXPORT'S TO SUECEN UNDER A NEW ONE-YEAR ACEIT WHICH COLES INTO EFFECT ON MONDAY, JULY 1, 13. LAREIE HILLS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, SAID TODAY.
THE AGREEMENT, WHICH HAS DŒEN EIDORSED BY THE TEXTILES ADVISORY LOAID, VAŠ KEGOTIATED BY ER. DILLS IN TALKS WITH THE SURDISH COVERMENT IN STUGGIULII.
HE ALSO HAD TALKS II OSLO VITH THE NORVEGIAN COVERWIENT, BUT A NEW AGREDIENT TO COVEN TEXTILE NIPORTS PRON HONG KONG HAS NOT YET BEEN PITULIEZD.
THE NEGOTIATIONG WITH DOT!] COUNTRIES VOCE CONDUCTED UNDER THE NBU AIRAISERET COVERING INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN TEXTILES, WHICH REQUIRES HONG KONG TO RE-NEGOTIATE ALL ITS EXISTING TEXTILE AGREEMENTS.
A NEU AGREEMENT HAS ALREADY BEEN REACHED WITH THE UNITED STATES, AND PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE WITH AUSTRIA. THE FUTURE SCHLOULE INCLUDES NEGOTIATIONS SHORTLY WITH CANADA, AND VITH THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMFRUITY LATER IN THE YEAR.
COMMENTING ON HIS RECENT TALKS WITH SUEDEN AND NORWAY, MR. MILLS SAID : -IN MANY WAYS QUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SCANDI HAVIAN COUNTRIES ARE THE HUST DIFFICULT. THEIR MARKETS ARE NOT VERY LANCE AND A SHALL IMPORT ORDER BY U.3. STANDARDS CAN HAVE A CONSIDERACLE IMPACT ON THEIR DORESTIC INDUSTRIES.
*IN FACT THE INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE AGREEMENT RECOGNISES THIS AND INCLUDES SPECIAL REFERENCE TO COUNTRIES WITH SHALL MARKETS, LOW DOMESTIC PRODUCTION AND HIGH 11.PORTS AND THE NEED TO AVOID DAHAÇE TO THESE COUNTRIES' MINIKUM VIABLE PRODUCTION.
+EVERY POINT THEREFORE HAS TO BE CONSIDERED IN FINE DETAIL AND ARGUED OVER AT LENGTH.+
MR. MILLS SAID THAT SOME HEASURE OF THE SIZE OF THE MARKET COULD BE REALISED FROM THE FACT THAT IN TALKS WITH THE UNITED STATES THE FIGURES VERE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF DOZENS WHEREAS WITH THE SCANDINAVIANS THEY WERE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF PIECES.
GARMENTS FORM THE BULK OF HONG KONG TEXTILE EXPORTS TO SWEDEN, AND THE RECENT NEGOTIATIONS HAVE LED TO THE REMOVAL OF RESTRAINT ON TWO ITENS KEAVY SWEATERS, AND COSTUMES AND DRESSES.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE SWEDES VERE ABLE TO SHOW IN RESPECT OF TWO OTHER ITEMS – LIGHTWEIGHT SWEATERS AND SOCKS - THAT THEIR INDUSTRY WAS BEING THREATENED BY IIPORTS FROM HONG KONG. HONG KONG HAS, THEREFORE, AGREED TO EXPORT RESTRAINTS ON THÈSE ITEMS FROM JULY 1.
THE NEW AGREEMENT INCLUDES PROVISIONS VIEREBY, IF DEHAND IS STRONG IN ANY YEAR, HONG KONG CÂN BORROW UP TO FIVE PER CENT AGAINST ANY QUOTAS VHÍCH HAY DE INTRODUCED IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
+
/+BUT PERHAPS