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Saturday, November 10, 1973
BRITAIN TO FIGHT DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST HONG KONG IN E.E.C.
Discrimination against Hong Kong's textile and footwear exports
in the European Economic Community's generalised scheme of preferences is
"no longer acceptable," Mr. Anthony Royle, Parliamentary Under Secretary of
State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, has told the House of Commons.
He said the British Government intends to "press resolutely for
the inclusion of Hong Kong's textiles and footwear in the scheme from 1975
onwards.
Mr. Royle was replying to a question from Mr. Peter Hordern, M.P.,
who asked what action was being taken to remedy exclusion of Hong Kong's
textile and footwear exports, in view of the United Kingdom's obligation to
align with the E.E.C.'s generalised system of preferences on January 1 next
year.
The full text of Mr. Royle's reply, which was received by the Hong
Kong Government today, is as follows:
"At a meeting of the Council of Ministers of the E.E.C. on November
6, my Right Honourable Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
(Mr. John Davies, British Minister for European Affairs), made a strong
statement on the position of Hong Kong.
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"He said that during the enlargement negotiations in 1971 the
Community had agreed to admit Hong Kong to its generalised system of
preferences, subject to the exclusion of her textile and footwear exports.
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