XN000022-1994-01-11 — Page 18

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17

TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1994

SPEAKING TO THE FINNISH

BUSINESS

ASSOCIATION

AND

TRAINING PROGRAMME,

PARTICIPANTS IN THE FINNISH PROFESSIONAL KATE 1994, MR MILLER WARNED OF THE DANGERS OF MAKING INTERNATIONAL TRADE MEASURES MORE COMPLEX.

"ATTEMPTING TO FACTOR SUCH THINGS AS THE COST OF SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMMES INTO CALCULATIONS OF FAIR PRICE' WILL INHIBIT TRADE THROUGH SHEER COMPLEXITY AND THE ONLY JOBS SUCH A MOVE IS LIKELY TO PROTECT OR INCREASE ARE THOSE OF TRADE LAWYERS AND BUREAUCRATS."

ANTI-DUMPING PRACTICE HAS ALREADY DEMONSTRATED THIS POINT ALL TOO CLEARLY, HE ADDED.

MR MILLER SAID FOLLOWING THE SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THE URUGUAY ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS, A NUMBER OF ISSUES WOULD BE ON THE GATT AGENDA, INCLUDING COMPETITION POLICY.

HE NOTED THAT THIS TERM MEANT DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND LISTED THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES:

*

SUBSIDIES,

SAFEGUARDS

AND ANTI-DUMPING, THAT IS THE TRADITIONAL GATT RULES AIMED AT PREVENTING UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES;

DOMESTIC POLICIES AIMED AT IMPROVING THE COMPETITIVENESS EXPORTERS OF GOODS AND SERVICES:

OF

MONOPOLIES

LEGISLATION;

AND

FRANCHISES

AND DOMESTIC ANTI-TRUST

INTERNATIONAL CARTELS, INCLUDING BOTH THOSE WHICH INVOLVE SOME MEASURE OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT AND THOSE ESTABLISHED ENTIRELY BY PRIVATE SECTOR AGREEMENT;

CONSUMER PROTECTION, INCLUDING PROVIDING CONSUMERS A COUNTERVAILING VOICE IN THE WAY TAX REVENUES ARE USED AND TRADE POLICIES APPLIED IN SUPPORT OF BOTH STATE-OWNED AND PURELY PRIVATE ENTERPRISE:

IN ASSESSING

IN

INCLUSION OF THE "REAL COSTS" OF PRODUCTION "FAIR" PRICES INTERNATIONALLY, FOR EXAMPLE, BY FACTORING SUCH THINGS AS THE ADEQUACY OF SOCIAL SECURITY, LABOUR AND ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION.

MR MILLER SUMMARISED FOUR PRINCIPLES THAT HE SAID WOULD GUIDE HONG KONG'S APPROACH TO FUTURE DISCUSSION OF COMPETITION POLICY IN THE GATT AND ELSEWHERE.

"THEY ARE OPENNESS, RELEVANCE TO THE GLOBALISED ECONOMY, SIMPLICITY AND FAIRNESS TO THE COMMON MAN.

EXPANDING ON THESE THEMES, MR MILLER MADE A NUMBER OF POINTS.

OF

BE

++

"THE FIRST POINT I WOULD MAKE IS THAT WE SHOULD BEWARE USING TRADE SANCTIONS TO ACHIEVE NON-TRADE ENDS, JUST AS WE SHOULD CAREFUL THAT NON-TRADE MEASURES DO NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT ON TRADE.'

/"MY SECOND

T