TNAG-0149-FCO40-185-Cotton-textiles-to-France-1969 — Page 22

rance

RUSARIU D

Ten-Tariff Barriers

Annex 2

Note of discussion on selected items in Fart 3 of the Invertery Standards Involving Imports and

Domestic Grods

This report is not complete, partly because or my absence sick and partly because the barriers notified are of little or no relevance to Hong Kong. The Tearetariat are, however, preparing a record of the main points made and this can be precari saarister of tig

A. Industrial Ctendards

However,

I was absent for the discussion of this item. my colleague, Mr. Abbott, has informed me of the outcome of the discussion on one item of importance to Hong Korg, namely FRANCE - Technical Visas (pare 6 of COM.ID/6/Add.3).

2.

It appears that, in some cases at least, one objective of the visa system is to keep a watch on the flow of imported g^^ds which the French consider to have "disruptive potential". Often a product newly liberalised from quotas becomes subject to the technical visa requirement.

3. In the briefing provided by the Board of Trade there was a statement that in the case of some items for which visas are required the regulation applies alone to nong Kong of all ex- 0.2.1.C. adherents. It was said that this a lied in 7 cases out of a total of 110. In my absence "bbout therefore raised this question of aparent discrimination against Hong Kong in the Committee and asked the French delegatien to comment. Among the points made in reply, the French stated:

(a) the requirement in general serves a purely statistical

purpose,

(b) there are in fact 310 items for which visas are required although this number is to be reduced fairly seen to 70;

(c) the major part of the technical visa regulations

concernel countries outside the GATT, especially in ast Europe;

(a) in some cases statistical and other controls were

maintained at lieng keng request (cf their argument on certificates of origin);

(e) but they are presared to look at particular cases of

difficulty if we wish.

1. In the light of this undertaking bbott did not press the matter further at that stage although he did not much care for the possible implication of (c). He said he would check back on the particular items involved and if necessary revert to the matter and ask the French to investigate further.

5. The Board of Trade are being asked to look into this matter further but I enclose extracts from the "Journal Officiel" of 5 April, 1966, which gives a fairly recent list of items subject to technical visas in France.

RUSURICTED

/B.