XN000022-1984-02-16 — Page 4

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1984

بيا

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U.S. WITHDRAWS TWO 'E.A. CALLS'

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THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD HAS COMPLETED CONSULTATIONS IN WASHINGTON WITH UNITED STATES OFFICIALS ON EXPORT AUTHORISATION (EA) CALLS MADE AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (THURSDAY), A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRADE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT TWO OF THE NINE CALLS HAD BEEN FORMALLY WITHDRAWN BY THE UNITED STATES AFTER FURTHER CONSIDERATION. TWO ITEMS ARE CAT. 318 (COTTON YARN-DYED FABRIC) AND CAT. 669 (OTHER MAN-MADE FIBRE MANUFACTURES).

THE

FOLLOWING DISCUSSIONS, HONG KONG AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE AGREED TO DIFFER ON THE SEVEN REMAINING CALLS WHICH ARE

DESCRIPTION

CATEGORY

314

COTTON POPLIN AND BROADCLOTH

337

COTTON PLAYSUITS, SUNSUITS, WASHSUITS, ETC.

361

COTTON SHEETS

359

OTHER COTTON APPAREL

369

OTHER COTTON MANUFACTURES

649

MAN-MADE FIBRE BRASSIERES, ETC.

459

OTHER WOOL APPAREL

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE SEVEN CALLS WERE IN RESPECT OF 1983 AND THEREFORE IN PRACTICAL TERMS, THEY WERE UNRESTRAINED EA CATEGORIES IN 1984 UNLESS AND UNTIL THEY WERE CALLED IN 1984.

COMMENTING ON WHETHER CALLS WOULD BE MADE ON THE SEVEN CATEGORIES THIS YEAR, THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT DEPENDED ON WHETHER THE UNITED STATES CONSIDERED THAT A CASE FOR DOING SO EXISTED IN TERMS OF MARKET DISRUPTION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE MULTI- FIBRE ARRANGEMENT AND THE BILATERAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE UNITED STATES.

ON THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ISSUE OF EXPORT AUTHORISATION CURRENTLY IN FORCE FOR THE NINE CATEGORIES ORIGINALLY CALLED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS WOULD CONTINUE IN OPERATION FOR THE TIME BEING BUT WOULD BE REVIEWED SHORTLY.

MEANWHILE THE TRADE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED THAT IT HAS RECEIVED THE FIRST CALL FROM THE UNITED STATES FOR 1984, THE CALL IS ON CAT. 652 (MAN-MADE FIBRE UNDERWEAR).

PENDING CONSULTATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, THE DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY SUSPENDED THE ISSUE OF FURTHER EXPORT AUTHORISATION IN RESPECT OF THIS CATEGORY.

THE DEPARTMENT WILL HOWEVER CONTINUE TO APPROVE AND ISSUE EXPORT LICENCES FOR THIS CATEGORY AGAINST VALID EXPORT AUTHORISATIONS APPROVED PRIOR TO THE SUSPENSION.