TNAG-0385-FCO40-431-Trade-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-EEC-1974 — Page 125

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TO IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 1143 OF 9 NOVEMBER 73 INFO PRIORITY UKREP BRUSSELS (FOR DODGE) AND B T C HONG KONG,

INFO SAVING UKMIS GENEVA.

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YOUR TELEGRAM NO 1287: GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES

HONG KONG.

1. WHEN SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS ON LEAVING THE COUNCIL MEETING ON 6 NOVEMBER, THE CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY CONFINED HIMSELF TO

THE POINTS HE HAD MADE IN HIS STATEMENT ON HONG KONG (UKREP EEC TELEGRAM NO 5359). NO OTHER PRESS BRIEFING WAS GIVEN ON THIS

SUBJECT IN BRUSSELS. THE POINTS MADE IN MR DAVIES' STATEMENT

SHOULD FORM THE ESSENTIAL PART OF ANY BRIEFING IN HONG KONG, THOUGH THIS CAN BE SUPPLEMENTED BY THE INFORMATION IN THE FOLLOWING

PARAGRAPHS.

2. THE STATISTICAL BASIS FOR CALCULATING TARIFF QUOTAS IN THE

COMMUNITY'S G S P FOR 1974 HAS BEEN UPDATED FROM 1968 TO 1971.

THIS HELPS TO INCREASE THE QUOTAS BY AN AVERAGE OF 40 PERCENT

OVER WHAT THEY WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN FOR THE ENLARGED COMMUNITY.

THIS FIGURE IS BASED ON THE OVERALL INCREASE AND THUS DOES NOT

NECESSARILY APPLY FOR A PARTICULAR PRODUCT OR COUNTRY. BUT IT

CAN BE USED IN GENERAL TERMS AS AN INDICATION OF ONE OF THE

IMPROVEMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY'S SCHEME.

3. THE (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) BUTOIRS HAVE BEEN RAISED IN FOURTEEN CASES FROM 20 PERCENT TO 30 PERCENT. NINE OF THESE INCREASES INVOLVE SIGNIFICANT HONG KONG TRADE: TRAVEL GOODS, BASKET WORK, CHINA AND PORCELAIN TABLEWARE, IMITATION JEWELLERY, PRIMARY CELLS AND BATTERIES, PORTABLE ELECTRICAL LAMPS, RADIO RECEIVERS AND PARTS, TAPE RECORDERS AND VACUUM FLASKS.

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