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7.
FRENCH IMPORT RESTRICTIONS
CONFIDENTIAL
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Hong Kong maintains an open-door policy for imports of French as well as other foreign products. Hong Kong take the view that the French quota restrictions cannot be subject to negotiation France maintains, unilaterally, restrictions contrary to the provisions of the GATT on imports of certain goods from Hong Kong and also restricts goods from a wider range of sources.
The French Journal Officiel of 6 September 1970 published a summary of all goods subject to quantitative restrictions when imported into France from all sources. The up-dated list notes restrictions on the following types of goods from the group of countries which includes Great Britain and her dependencies (eg Hong Kong):
Certain live animals, animal and vegetable products, prepared
foodstuffs
Certain mineral products and products of the chemical and allied
industries
Paper and paperboard and newspapers etc.
Certain electrical equipment
Certain transport equipment
Certain clocks and watches
The list also notes restrictions which apply solely to the following goods originating from Hong Kongt
Certain textiles and textile articles
Umbrellas and certain ceramic products
Certain electrical equipment
Certain optical, cinematographic goods
Certain toya
The French appear to have a lack of confidence in the mechanisms of GATT, probably because they would in most cases have no GATT grounds for taking action, and have rather unconvincingly expressed fears that new Hong Kong industries might be set up overnight to take advantage of any liberalisation by France.
io. In the past the French have stressed the continuing "restructuralisation"
of the French indus try and the need for protective measures, and have stuck firmly to their grounds as "admitted sinners" against the GATT.
CONFIDENTIAL
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