TNAG-0044-FCO40-80-Exports-to-the-Benelux-countries-aide-memoires-1967 — Page 122

0003230

G.F. 323

A

CONFIDENTIAL

12.

It was also the hope of the Benelux side that an agreement should be committed to paper and that the negotiations should proceed as fast as possible. Any agreement would have to be ad referendum the Benelux Governments but could be brought into immediate effect.

13.

He emphasized the importance the Benelux Governments attached to preserving the traditional channels of trade.

14.

He had noted the willingness of the Hong Kong side to consider the present negotiations in the context of the Community's emerging policy on textiles. But, although it was necessary to look to the future, he was not authorised to speak on behalf of the E.E.C. countries which had yet to finalize their common policy.

15.

He would be glad to assist in the setting up of both a statistical sub-committee and a drafting committee and concluded by thanking Mr. Sorby for his hospitality and for the arrangements contained in the programme,

16.

Mr. Haddon-Cave tabled a suggested agenda for consideration at the first working session.

First Working Session : 9.30 a.m.. Thursday.

6th July, 1967

17.

Mr. Verhagen accepted the agenda subject to certain changes in the order of proceedings. He asked whether Mr. Haddon-Cave would agree to consider first the extension of the existing undertaking on shirts.

18.

Mr. Haddon-Cave tabled export licensing statistics for shirts indicating that during the first two-thirds of the restraint period, Hong Kong had shipped only one-third of the restraint limit. Mr. Verhagen provided the following Benelux statistics

Netherlands (up to 9th June)

Direct Imports

Licences used : 136,165 shirts

Licences unused

461,040 shirts

-

Indirect Imports

Licences issued

45,000 shirts

Licences used

2,160 shirts

Licences unused :

BLEU (up to 29th June)

42,840 shirts

Direct Imports

Licences unused

9,520 shirts

Indirect Imports

Licences issued

3,600 shirts

Up to 9th June, there had been no re-exports from the Benelux although there was a possibility that a proportion of the 470,000 shirts covered by outstanding licences would not in fact enter the Benelux.

He explained

/that

.......

CONFIDENTIAL