XN000022-1983-07-05 — Page 12

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TUESDAY, JULY 5, 1983

ACCORD ON 3 GARMENT CATEGORIES WITH U.S.

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RESTRAINT LIMITS FOR THREE GARMENT CATEGORIES - AT LEVELS CONSIDERABLY ABOVE THE 1982 TRADE LEVELS HAVE BEEN AGREED FOLLOWING CONSULTATIONS IN WASHINGTON AT THE END OF LAST MONTH REGARDING HONG KONG'S EXPORTS OF SIX GARMENT CATEGORIES TO THE UNITED STATES.

THE AGREED RESTRAINT LEVEL FOR CAT. 434 (WOOL COATS, OTHER THAN SUIT TYPE, M AND B) HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM 1982'S EXPORT OF 5 505 DOZEN TO 8 660 DOZEN; CAT. 647 (MMF TROUSERS, SLACKS AND SHORTS (OUTER), M AND B) FROM 229 573 DOZEN TO 275 400 DOZEN; AND CAT. 636 (MMF DRESSES) FROM 140 576 DOZEN TO 200 000 DOZEN.

HOWEVER, AGREEMENT WAS NOT REACHED IN RESPECT OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES, AND THE UNITED STATES ADMINISTRATION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BILATERAL AGREEMENT, HAS IMPOSED RESTRAINT LEVELS AS FOLLOWS:-

E

CATEGORY

RESTRAINT LIMIT

1982 EXPORTS

DOZEN

DOZEN

336 (COTTON DRESSES,

INCLUDING UNIFORMS)

137 704

107 793

442 (WOOL SKIRTS)

62 602

50 076

642 (MMF SKIRTS)

129 178

102 558

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (TUESDAY), A TRADE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT EXPORTS IN THESE CATEGORIES WERE AT PRESENT SUBJECT TO THE EXPORT AUTHORISATION SYSTEM, UNDER WHICH THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC RESTRAINT LIMIT, BUT THE LEVEL OF EXPORTS WAS MONITORED AND THE UNITED STATES MIGHT AT ANY TIME SEEK CONSULTATIONS WITH A VIEW TO REACHING AGREEMENT ON A LEVEL OF RESTRAINT IN THE CURRENT YEAR.

+THOSE WHO ALREADY HELD APPROVED EXPORT AUTHORISATIONS IN THESE CATEGORIES WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE NEW RESTRAINT LEVELS. HOWEVER, THE RESTRAINTS WOULD LIMIT THE SCOPE FOR NEW ORDERS TO COME TO HONG KONG DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED.

CALLS HAVE ALSO BEEN MADE BY THE UNITED STATES ON CAT. 604 (MMF SPUN NON-CELLULOSIC YARN); CAT. 644 (MMF SUITS, W, G AND 1); CAT. 313 (COTTON SHEETING); AND CAT. 352 (COTTON UNDERWEARS). CONSULTATIONS ON THEM ARE EXPECTED TO BE HELD IN MID-JULY.

AT THE CONSULTATIONS IN WASHINGTON BETWEEN JUNE 27 AND 30, THE HONG KONG DELEGATION WAS LED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR MICHAEL CARTLAND.