TUESDAY, JULY 23, 1974.
IMPROVED TEXTILE ACCORD WITH CANADA
******
HONG KONG HAS SECURED MORE LIBERAL TERMS FOR ITS TEXTILE EXPORTS TO CANADA UNDER A NEW ONE-YEAR AGREEMENT WHICH COMES INTO EFFECT FROM OCTOBER 1, 1974, MR. LAURENCE MILLS, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, SAID TODAY.
THE AGREEMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD, WAS NEGOTIATED BY MR. MILLS IN TALKS WITH THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT OTTAVA.
THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA WERE CONDUCTED UNDER THE NEW ARRANGEMENT COVERING INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN TEXTILES WHICH REQUIRES HONG KONG TO RE-NEGOTIATE ALL ITS EXISTING TEXTILE AGREEMENTS.
SO FAR THIS YEAR NEW ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN AGREED OR INTRODUCED WITH THE UNITED STATES, SWEDEN, AND NORWAY. DISCUSSIONS ARE CONTINUING WITH AUSTRIA, AND CONSULTATIONS WITH AUSTRALIA ARE SCHEDULED TO BEGIN ON AUGUST 1, 1974 IN HONG KONG. CONSULTATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY ARE EXPECTED TO BE HELD LATER IN THE YEAR.
COMMENTING ON HIS RECENT TALKS WITH CANADA, MR. MILLS SAID: +I'M HAPPY TO REPOST THAT ALL QUANTITATIVE RESTRAINTS ON OUR TEXTILE EXPORTS TO CANADA WILL BE LIFTED SHORTLY.
COTT
+COTTON YARN, COTTON TERRY TOWELS AND CERTAIN TYPES OF WOVEN BLOUSES AND TROUSERS WHICH ARE AT PRESENT UNDER RESTRAINT WILL BE LIBERALISED FROM OCTOBER 1 THIS YEAR.
+THE SOLE ITEM REMAINING UNDER LIMITATION AFTER OCTOBER 1 WILL BE MEN'S TAILORED SHIRTS. HOWEVER, THIS RESTRAINT EXTENDS TO NOVEMBER 29 ONLY, AND I AM VERY HOPEFUL THAT THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS ON THESE SHIRTS BEYOND THIS DATE.
+IN PLACE OF THE PRESENT QUANTITATIVE LIMITATIONS WE HAVE AGREED TO INTRODUCE SURVEILLANCE MEASURES ON THESE ITEMS AND TO CONTINUE THE SURVEILLANCE MEASURES WE ALREADY HAVE ON KNIT FABRICS, BED SHEETS AND PILLOW CASES+.
AR. MILLS EXPLAINED THAT THE DUAL PURPOSE OF THESE MEASURES WAS TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE FORWARD PICTURE OF EXPORT TRENDS FOR THE CANADIAN AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS AND TO GIVE EXPORTERS AN ASSURANCE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO OBTAIN EXPORT LICENCES FOR CONTRACTED SHIPMENTS.
+THE NEW AGREEMENT ALSO PROVIDES FOR EITHER GOVERNMENT TO REQUEST CONSULTATIONS WITH THE OTHER REGARDING ANY MATTER ARISING FROM THESE ARRANGEMENTS AND THEIR OPERATION, + MR. MILLS ADDED.
/MR, MILLS
IM T
-