TNAG-0133-FCO40-169-Tariff-preferences-for-developing-countries-1969 — Page 3

H. H. STEWART ES

HONG

KONG

DEPT.

TRADE COMMITTEE

AD HOC WORKING GROUP ON PREFERENCES

SUBMISSION BY THE UNITED KINGDOM

TRADE POLICY Des

5/3

In accordance with the agreement on preparation and distribution of submissions (TC/Pref/69.1(First revision and addendum)), the United Kingdom herewith submits to the Trade Directorate of the 0.E.C.D. Secretariat, the statement below of its conditions and assumptions and the following illustrative lists of products:

I.

Manufactures and semi-manufactures, falling within chapters 25-99 of the Brussels Nomenclature, on which the United Kingdom is not prepared to grant preferences.

ANNEX:

Products in the textile and iron and steel sectors not included in list I on which preferential tariff treatment is subject to certain special conditions.

II. Processed agricultural products, falling within Chapters 1-24 of the

Brussels Nomenclature, on which the United Kingdom would be prepared to consider the grant of preferences.

ANNEX:

Special conditions attached to certain of the products in list II.

The United Kingdom's Assumptions

2.

The United Kingdom have based the compilation of their illustrative lists on the recommendations submitted to the Trade Committee in the report of the Special Group on trade with developing countries (TC (67)16) which were broadly endorsed by the Council of Ministers of 0.E.C.D.

3. In accordance with these recommendations, the United Kingdom would be pre- pared to consider the grant of generalised, non-discriminatory, non-reciprocal tariff preferences on the basis of entry free of protective duty for all products within chapters 25-99 of the Brussels Nomenclature other than those specified in List I; and for the products within chapters 1-24 of the Brussels Nomenclature specified in List II, except in the cases where reduced duty rather than duty free entry is specified.

4. In accordance with the burden sharing principle, the United Kingdom will consider it essential to modify its submission, if necessary, so as to make its lists comparable in scope and coverage with what other prospective donor countries declare themselves ready to undertake.

5. Moreover, it will be necessary for the United Kingdom to obtain the consent of countries in the Commonwealth Preference Area with trade agreement rights to margins of preference on certain products to waive these rights to the extent required to enable preferences on these products to be extended to non-Commonwealth developing countries.

6. One of the considerations that the United Kingdom will have to bear in mind in determining the preferential tariff treatment to be granted to developing countries generally is the extent to which Commonwealth developing countries receive new advantages in the markets of other donor countries to compensate them for sharing their existing preferential advantages in the United Kingdom market.

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