TNAG-0046-FCO40-82-Britain-s-entry-into-EEC-effect-on-trade-with-Hong-Kong-1967 — Page 208

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origin rather than on citizenship status.

It would appear,

therefore, that such persons would be required to fulfil the

five-year residence provision before being eligible for full

United Kingdom citizenship.

4. Sir A. Snelling asked if Hong Kong took up all the work

vouchers allocated for the Territory. Mr. Haddon-Cave said

that between 1962 and mid-1967 about 1,500 British Subjects from

Hong Kong had entered the United Kingdom as voucher-holders.

Mr. Heddy pointed out that this compared with an application

rate of 600 per annum. Mr. Haddon-Cave said that the real

significance of the question for Hong Kong was that it would be

politically unfortunate for the Territory if present opportunities

for emigration to Britain were curtailed; he was assured that

the pattern would probably be no different if Britain entered

the Community from what it was at present.

GENERAL DECALAGE

50

Mr. Haddon-Cave said that as far as he could see, there

would be four sets of tariff alignments on Britain's accession

to the E.E.C.:

(a) United Kingdom m.f.n. tariff to the c.e.t.;

(b) Commonwealth preferential tariff to the c.e.t.;

(c) EFTA preferential tariff to the c.e.t.;

and,

(d) United Kingdom m.f.n. tariff to nil in respect

of E.E.C. countries.

He supposed that (a), which would be a relatively small

adjustment, could be made quite quickly. As regards (b), (c) and (d), there would presumably be some arrangements for

the gradual application of the new tariffs; Mr. Haddon-Cave

referred to these as "general decalage". He said that if

Hong Kong were covered by general decalage, the E.E.C. would

be hard pressed to claim that the Territory was receiving special treatment.

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16.