TNAG-0298-FCO40-334-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-generalized-tariffs-preferences--1971 — Page 117

From Peter Blaker, M.P.

Mi Köhne

We hen dreedy

already

a copy of A.

C. Dept.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

сле смелыем

LONDON, SW1

2 d might

The 1271 will

para 2 d

Will

Thi

C

in any

seat

cpy bi

)?

Lauk

wit

3rd March 1971

cc. Bir L. Monste

Mr. Wilfaw

Mr. Laud

Mr. Statham./

تممثلة

Miboard

to it not Commoditie

/1⁄2

ther. En. $13

573

Thank you for your letter of 2nd March about Hong Kong, which I found very useful.

I mentioned to you in the Lobby last night that there are two further points on my mind. The first is that the people in Hong Kong

Thave already send a copy to hope very much that it will be possible for the Government to arrange Commodities Soft-

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573

Not think

accurate

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for the deadline for quotas, namely 31st December 1971, to relate to the date of shipment of textiles which are to be affected by the new tariff, and not to the date of arrival. I understand that at the moment the Customs and Excise are taking the line that they have no option but to charge the new tariff on any goods which arrive after that date. This will present difficulties for shippers in Hong Kong, and also of course for importers, since there will be a risk that the same consignment of goods may both be subject to the quota arrangements and also, if it arrives just after the 1st January, will suffer the tariff. I would have thought that the system of certification of documents in Hong Kong would be reliable enough to prevent cheating.

The second point is that I understand under the Generalised Preference Scheme the EEC have said they will not allow Hong Kong any preference on textiles and footwear, but that they will allow such preferences to all other developing countries including, for example, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore. It seems to me that as a result of this we will be in a very bizarre situation vis a vis Hong Kong of we go into the Common Market. The result will presumably be that we, the U.K., will have to conform to the EEC practice, which will mean that we are giving preference on textiles and footwear to countries like Korea and Taiwan, and discriminating against Hong Kong. This surely will be impossible to justify, and I do hope that something can be done to avoid this situation arising.

I am sending a copy of this letter to Tony Royle at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Х

Anthony Grant, Esq. M.P.,

Department of Trade and Industry.

LAST

REF.

REF.

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