TNAG-0248-FCO40-284-Effect-of-entry-of-UK-into-EEC-on-exports-from-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 87

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between the donor countries by the late summer of 1970 and

it is also possible that some sort of agreement will be

reached with the developing countries. But the scheme is

very unlikely to come into operation before 1972, and will

probably in fact do so later than this date.

56. We should aim to secure the Communities' agreement to

a gradual application of the c.e.t, to exports to the United

Kingdom from Asian Commonwealth countries (as the EEC

Commission have suggested for the developed Commonwealth

countries); and their agreement to review, if it should be

necessary, the position of the Asian Commonwealth countries

in the light of the outcome of the present UNCTAD discussions,

bearing in mind the provisional agreement reached in 1962.

57. We should also aim to negotiate a repetition of the

Community's 1962 offer to bind the c.e.t. on tea at nil.

It is unlikely that they will agree to do so, but having

achieved this once, it would be difficult to avoid pressing

for it again.

58. The implications of the prospective developments over

generalised preferences for our objectives in relation to the

Commonwealth in our negotiations to enter the EEC, are under

study in the Official Committee on Commercial Policy. The

details of the cotton textiles problem will be discussed in

a separate paper.

Conclusions

59. Our negotiating objectives for the Commonwealth can be

summarised as follows:

(a) special arrangements for New Zealand's dairy

producers and developing Commonwealth sugar producers.

These are dealt with elsewhere;

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/(b)