TNAG-0248-FCO40-284-Effect-of-entry-of-UK-into-EEC-on-exports-from-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 90

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been eliminated by 1 July, 1968. The timetable for the

elimination of tariffs on agricultural items varies from product

to product, but only small tariffs now remain. The Community

have also gone a long way towards the complete elimination of

quantitative restrictions on imports from the associates and

cannot apply any new quantitative restrictions to their trade.

At the same time as they were reducing tariffs on imports from the associates, the European countries were also moving their

external tariffs by stages towards the common external tariff,

so that since 1 July, 1968, they have all been applying the

same common external tariff to imports from third countries.

The associates are consequently benefiting from preferences throughout the EEC equivalent to the level of the common

tariff. The second Convention which was signed on 29 July,

1969, and which will expire not later than 31 January, 1975,

was drafted to take account of the progress of these tariff

adjustments.

4. The timetable of tariff reductions was accelerated for

certain tropical products (coffee, cocoa beans, fresh

pineapples, dessicated coconut, pepper, vanilla, cloves and nutmegs), in respect of which it was agreed that the associated

countries would be granted free entry throughout the Community

as soon as the Association Agreement came into effect i.e. on

1 June, 1964, and that the common tariff at the same time be

applied throughout the Community in one move on imports of these

/products

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