XN000022-1975-09-25 — Page 6

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1975

D.C. AND I. TO ISSUE RESERVED EEC QUOTAS TO

ALL COMERS

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AT ITS MEETING THIS AFTERNOON THE TEXTILES ADVISORY BOARD CONSIDERED A REPORT ON THE TALKS IN BRUSSELS LAST WEEK AND SOME PROPOSALS BY THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT CONCERNING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE QUOTA ARRANGEMENTS UNDER THE HK/EEC TEXTILES AGREEMENT.

THE BOARD AGREED THAT NO FURTHER QUOTA SHOULD BE ISSUED BUT THAT CERTAIN QUANTITIES WHICH HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY RESERVED SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL COMERS.

THE BOARD HAD PREVIOUSLY ADVISED - AND THE DEPARTMENT HAD AGREED - THAT THESE QUANTITIES SHOULD BE RESERVED FOR HOLDERS OF EXPORT REGISTRATIONS AND THOSE WHO ACTUALLY EXPORTED AGAINST EXPORT REGISTRATIONS BEFORE JULY 18 BECAUSE THEIR TRADE HAD BEEN FRUSTRATED BY THE SUSPENSION OF EXPORT LICENSING ON JULY 17 AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW AGREEMENT.

THIS DECISION HOWEVER WAS TAKEN BEFORE THE SPECIAL SHIPMENT ARRANGEMENT WAS INTRODUCED AT THE END OF AUGUST. IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THOSE AFFECTED HAD HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPORT UNDER THAT ARRANGEMENT, THE BOARD FELT THAT APPLICATIONS FOR THESE QUANTITIES SHOULD NOW BE ACCEPTED FROM ANY MANUFACTURER OR EXPORTER WHO HAS FIRM ORDERS, PROVIDED THAT, IF HE IS ALREADY A QUOTA-HOLDER, HE HAS NOT ALREADY TRANSFERRED ANY OF HIS QUOTA IN THE CATEGORY CONCERNED TO ANYONE ELSE. NO PRIORITY WILL BE GIVEN TO ANY PARTICULAR APPLICANT ALL APPLICATIONS WILL BE TREATED ALIKE AND OF COURSE SCALED DOWN IF APPLICATIONS TOTAL MORE THAN IS AVAILABLE.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY EMPHASISED THAT THESE RESERVED QUANTITIES ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN ALL CATEGORIES FOR ALL MEMBER STATES AND THAT, WHILE IT IS HOPED THAT THESE ARRANGEMENTS WILL FURTHER ALLEVIATE THE DIFFICULTIES THAT THE TRADE HAS BEEN FACING, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT ALL ORDERS PLACED WITH HONG KONG IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS CAN BE FILLED.

DETAILS WILL BE NOTIFIED TO THE TRADE IN A NOTICE TO EXPORTERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

VEGETABLES COST LESS LAST MONTH

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THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICE. OF FRESH VEGETABLES LAST MONTH DROPPER BY 10 PER CENT AS A RESULT OF AN INCREASE IN LOCAL VEGETABLE SUPPLIES, WHILE THE AVERAGE RETAIL PRICE OF RICE REMAINED STABLE.

THESE WERE AMONG THE FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO A DROP OF ONE POINT IN THE INDEX FOR FOODSTUFFS IN THE AUGUST NEW CONSUMER PRICE INDEX 'A'.