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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1975.
H.K. PRESSING EEC FOR BETTER TREATMENT
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE COMPREHENSIVE ACTION TO SECURE A SATISFACTORY OUTCOME IN BOTH THE TEXTILE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY AND HONG KONG'S ACCESS TO THE E.E.C. GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES,
SPEAKING IN TODAY'S LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE HON, JIMMY MCGREGOR SAID THE GOVERNMENT IS FULLY CONCIOUS OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR TEXTILE TRADE WITH THE E.E.C. AND SUBSTANTIAL EFFORT HAS DEEN CONSISTENTLY APPLIED BY HIS DEPARTMENT, THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH OF THE SECRETARIAT AND THE HONG KONG OFFICES IN LONDON, BRUSSELS AND GENEVA.
HE SAID THE GOVERNOR, AND OTHER SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN PRESSING FOR A SATISFACTORY OUTCOME IN BOTH ISSUES.
ON THE NEGOTIATION OF A TEXTILE AGREEMENT WITH THE E.E.C. MR. MCGREGOR SAID THIS IS PROVING TO BE ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT AND COMPLICATED RESTRIANT AGREEMENTS HONG KONG HAS EVER HAD TO DISCUSS.
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+NOT ONLY ARE WE DOING SO AT A TIME OF ALMOST UNPRECEDENTED ECONOMIC AND TRADE DISRUPTION ACROSS THE WORLD. BUT WE ARE NEGOTIATING FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH A TRADING BLOC WHICH REPRESENTS OVER 250 MILLION CONSUMERS, NINE MEMBER COUNTRIES AND MANY ASSOCIATE MEMBER COUNTRIES+, HE POINTED OUT.
HE ADDED THAT THE DIVERSITY OF INTERESTS WITHIN THE E.E.C. AND THE DIFFERING IMPORTANCE TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL ECONOMIES OF THEIR TEXTILE INDUSTRIES MADE THE TASK OF NEGOTIATION FORMIDABLE AND TIME CONSUMING FOR BOTH HONG KONG AND THE E.E.C.
BUT HE ASSURED HONG KONG'S INTEREST IS PROTECTED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THE ARRANGEMENT REGARDING INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN TEXTILES OR BETTER KNOWN AS THE MULTIFIBRE TEXTILES ARRANGEMENT.
+BESIDES,+ HE SAID, +WE HAVE THE TEXTILES SURVEILLANCE BODY IN GENEVÀ TO ENSURE THAT ACTIONS TAKEN AND AGREEMENTS REACHED ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE MULTIFIBRE TEXTILES ARRANGEMENT.+
ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S ACCESS TO THE E.E.C. GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES, HE SAID, THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE ON THIS ISSUE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
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/+FULL USE