TNAG-0249-FCO40-285-Effect-of-entry-of-UK-into-EEC-on-exports-from-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 30

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THERE MIGHT HAVE TO BE TECHNICAL CONTACTS BETWEEN THE COMMISSION

AN THE BRITISH DELEGATION TO ELUCIDATE THIS PROBLEM.

TRANSITIONAL PERIODS.

4. THE FRENCH ARGUED STRONGLY THAT THERE SHOULD BE A DISCUSSION

IN THE E.E.C. COUNCIL ON THE MORNING OF THE 27 OCTOBER ABOUT

THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD. THEY URGED THAT THE COMMUNITY SHOULD

THEN TAKE UP A CLEAR POSITION IN FAVOUR OF TRANSITIONAL

PERIODS OF THE SAME LENGTH FOR INDUSTRY AND AGRICULTURE.

SEVERAL OTHER PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES ARGUED THAT IT WOULD

BE PREMATURE TO TAKE UP SUCH A RIGID POSITION: WITHIN THE

OVERALL BRITISH PSOPOSAL FOR A SIX YEAR TRANSITIONAL PERIOD

FOR AGRICULTURE THERE WAS STILL SEVERAL AREAS OF IMPRECISION

WHICH SHOULD BE, PROBED BY THE COMMUNITY, THE GERMANS IN PARTICULAR URGED THAT THE QUESTIONS SHOULD NOT DE TAKEN UP.

BY MINISTERS OF THE SIX ON 27 OCTOBER, THERE WILL BE A FURTHER

DISCUSSION ON THIS IN THE COMMITTEE OF PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES ON 22 OCTOBER BUT THE FRENCH PRESSED VERY HARD AND IT IS GENERALLY..... THOUGHT LIKELY THAT THE ITEM WILL BE ON THE AGENDA FOR MINISTERS OF THE SIX.

-5. WE HAVE RECEIVED CONFLICTING INDICATIONS AS TO WHETHER

THE MATTER IS LIKELY TO COME UP IN THE MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE ON THE AFTERNOON OF 27 OCTOBER. THE GERMAN AND NETHERLANDS PERMANENT REPRESENTATIONS SAY THAT, EVEN IF THE MATTER IS DISCUSSED EXHAUSTIVELY BY THE SIX ON THE MORNING OF THAT DAY, THEY WOULD NOT EXPECT THE COMMUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT IT TO US ON THAT OCCASION: BUT RATHER TO EXPLAIN THEIR VIEWS AT THE NEXT MEETING OF DEPUTIES. THE BELGIAN PERMANENT REPRESENTATON SAY THAT IT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED THAT THE SIX WILL WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT TO US AT THE MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE.

TIME FACTOR: TO BE ON DESKS BY 1238Z: ADVANCE COPIES TO

'SIR C O'NEILL AND ROBINSON, FCO BELL TREASURY. DENMAN BOARD OF

曲

TRADE AND. KEARNS MAFF.

SIR J MARJORIBANKS

[COPIES PASSED TO SIR CO'NEILL AND MR. ROBINSON FCO,

MR. BELL H.M.TREASURY, MR, DENMAN B.0.T. & MR. KEARNS MAFF]

EUROPEAN ECONOMIC & POLITICAL DISTRIBUTION

E.I.D.

CONFIDENTIAL.

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION.

FRAME

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