W
HONG KONG AND EEC
JJ Rippn
д
with 1th. Asso.
Paragraph 7 remains unchanged except that the last sentence
is deleted. Paragraph 8 is amended to read]:
8.
On cotton textiles, Hong Kong has much more reason to
fear the effect on its position of our entry into the Common
Market than it has of our introduction of a tariff. The EEC
would almost certainly be unwilling to allow Britain to import
unlimited quantities of low cost cloth for processing and
free circulation within the enlarged Community. Hong Kong
therefore foresees the danger that its trade with the UK in
cotton textiles will eventually have to surmount not only the
tariff (to be imposed on 1 January 1972) but also quantitative
restrictions (upon our entry into the EEC). Although in
negotiating the terms of our entry we shall naturally bear in
mind our extensive textile trade with Hong Kong and other
developing Commonwealth countries and its importance to the
economies of those countries, it would be wrong to raise any
expectations that we shall be in a position to do much to
safeguard Hong Kong's interests in an enlarged Community.
We shall however endeavour once we are in the EEC to prevent
the common commercial policy from developing in such a way as to
impose discrimatory quotas against Hong Kong.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.