TNAG-0385-FCO40-431-Trade-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-EEC-1974 — Page 166

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in achieving our immediate objectives before 5-6 November, we could make a statement in general terms at the Council welcoming the improvements which had been made in the Community's GSP and emphasising that we would be pressing for further improvemont in the 1975 Scheme, particularly in respect of Hong Kong. In the light of the Committee's discussion the DTI should now revise the draft paper for the Ministerial Committee. The paper should include a statement of our immediate objectives in negotiation and of the tactics we intended to follow, together with factual material giving a clear picture of the scale and effects of the tariff changes which would follow United Kingdom alignment to the Community's GSP. On the

latter point, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food would provide a contribution on agricultural products with particular reference to items whose retail price might be affected by the changes, including the soluble coffee changes in the proposed agreement with Brazil.

The Committee

1.

Took note, with approval, of the Chairman's summing up of their discussion.

2. Invited the Department of Trade and Industry to revise the paper, in the light of the Committee's discussion, for early consideration by the Ministerial Committee on Europe.

3

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