6
THURSDAY, JULY 28, 1994
AMENDMENTS
WEKE RECENTLY PUT FORWARD IN THE U.S. CONGRESS ΤΟ THE DRAFT IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION FOR THE URUGUAY ROUND AGREEMENTS WHICH WOULD FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE U.S. RULES OF ORIGIN FOR TEXTILES AND APPAREL GOODS.
IF ADOPTED, THE PROPOSALS WOULD MEAN A BREAK WITH CURRENT
U.S. PRINCIPLE AND PRACTICE. FOR MOST TEXTILE PRODUCTS, THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN WOULD BE DETERMINED BY WHERE THE GOODS ARE ASSEMBLED, IN CONTRAST TO THE EXISTING RULES WHICH USE CUTTING OF FABRIC AS THE MAIN DETERMINANT OF ORIGIN.
MR MILLER SAID: "THIS IS CHANGING THE RULES AFTER THE GAME HAS STARTED; IT WILL QUITE CLEARLY DISRUPT TRADE AND INVESTMENT BY CUTTING ACROSS ESTABLISHED COMMERCIAL ARRANGEMENTS.
TRADE
"CHANGING TO ASSEMBLY AS ORIGIN-CONFERRING WOULD DISRUPT PATTERNS AND FUNDAMENTALLY AFFECT THE BALANCE OF RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS ESTABLISHED UNDER THE BILATERAL AGREEMENT," HE SAID.
"WHAT WE FIND DISAPPOINTING IS THAT WHILE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED BY INDIVIDUAL CONGRESSMEN, THEY HAVE RECEIVED THE EXPLICIT SUPPORT OF ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS.
"HONG KONG HAS MADE CLEAR TO THE U.S. ITS SERIOUS CONCERN WITH SUCH A UNILATERAL MOVE, AND OUR WASHINGTON OFFICE HAS APPROACHED RELEVANT U.S. OFFICIALS FOR THIS PURPOSE."
MOST RECENTLY, HE ADDED, THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR TH CHÂU, AND THE HONG KONG COMMISSIONER FOR ECONOMIC AND TRADE AFFAIRS, USA,
MR BARRIE WIGGHAN, HAVE WRITTEN SEPARATELY TO SENIOR U.S.
OFFICIALS AND THE CHAIRMEN OF THE 1.S. SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.
"THEY HAVE MADE REFERENCE TO THE MULTILATERAL AND BILATERAL OBLIGATIONS OF THE U.S. AS WELL AS OUR RIGHTS UNDER THE RELEVANT AGREEMENTS, AND HAVE URGED THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO GIVE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO ITS POSITION ON THE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS, HE SAID.
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BY
IT
MR MILLER SAID THE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS WERE CONSIDERED MANY COMMENTATORS IN THE U.S. AS A DISGUISE FOR PROTECTIONISM, AND WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT MAJOR U.S. TEXTILE TRADING PARTNERS, INCLUDING AUSTRALIA AND ASEAN COUNTRIES, HAD ALSO EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS OVER THE DEVELOPMENT.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, IF ADOPTED, DEPART FROM THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE U.S. IN AT LEAST THREE WAYS.
WOULD
"FIRST, THEY WOULD UPSET THE BALANCE OF THE EXISTING BILATERAL AGREEMENT ON TEXTILES AND CLOTHING; SECONDLY, THEY WOULD ALTER A KEY PART OF THE PACKAGE ON WHICH THE URUGUAY KOUND AGREEMENT ON TEXTILES AND CLOTHING WAS BASED," HE EXPLAINED.
"THIRDLY, THEY WOULD FLY IN THE FACE OF AN UNDERTAKING BY ALL PARTIES IN THE MARRAKESH DECLARATION TO REFRAIN FROM TAKING NEW TRADE RESTRICTING OR DISTORTING MEASURES IN ADVANCE OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION."
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OTHER
ADOPTED IN 1985, THE EXISTING U.S. ORIGIN RULES PROVIDE THAT CUTTING OF FABRIC IS THE ORIGIN-CONFERRING PROCESS FOR APPAREL THAN KNIT-TO-SHAPE GARMENTS.
/THESE RULES