TNAG-0045-FCO40-81-Britain-s-entry-into-EEC-effect-on-trade-with-Hong-Kong-1967 — Page 78

CONFIDENTIAL

"It is our hope that the negotiations will be followed through swiftly, and will relate to the small number of really important issues which have been identified through our recent discussions, issues on which agreement

should be reached if the House and the country are to be

satisfied that essential British and Commonwealth

interests will be safeguarded."

The implications for Singapore of British entry into E.E.C.

(a) Political and defence relations

4.

Membership of the Community would restrict our independence

of action in future international dealings only in matters

falling within the objectives of the Treaty of Rome which is

concerned primarily with economic integration and co-operation,

Our freedom to conduct as we see fit our political and defence

relations with Singapore would thus in no way be impaired

by adherence to the Treaty.

(b)

Economic and commercial relations

KULİNİKA JÖRNES, LA, ON MARCO LALLOT PORN SELLAÇOSAZEN

5. If we were to enter the Community without making any

special arrangements for Singapore's trade with Britain, many

of her exports to us would be directly affected, either by

loss of preference or by the application by Britain of the

Community's common external tariff. But of Singapore's total

exports in 1965, only about 6% came to Britain. Thus, even

on the most unfavourable assumption, Singapore should not

suffer any significant reduction in her export earnings as a

result of British entry into the Community. Provided that we

could obtain a reasonable transitional period for the application

of the common external tariff to our imports from Singapore,

the impact of British entry would be cushioned still more.

No specific provision was made for British imports from

Singapore in the previous negotiations between Britain and the

Community, since Singapore was at that time about to join the

6*

CONFIDENTIAL

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