TNAG-0463-FCO40-528-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-EEC-Generalised-Scheme-of-Prefer-1974 — Page 67

CRE/993/74

Notes for Supplementaries

1 What action is being taken to remove the discrimination

against Hong Kong textiles in the EEC's generalised

preference scheme?

In his statement in the Council of Ministers on 4 June, my

rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and

Commonwealth Affairs said, in describing our objectives

for improving the Community's generalised preference

scheme

1:

we need substantial improvements in the position

of Hong Kong, where at present the UK has to discriminate

against one of its own territories."

We shall be reverting to this subject in future discussions

in the Council, and other Community bodies.

2 Why did not the EEC Commission's proposals for the 1975

generalised preference scheme include improvements on

textiles?

The Commission drew attention to the fact that negotiations

with supplying countries following the signature of the

Multifibre Textile Agreement have not yet been completed.

It has specifically reserved the right to make proposals

later.

3

What is HMG doing to improve Hong Kong's access to

Community markets?

Discussions at official level have now started in Brussels

on a mandate for the negotiation of a bilateral agreement

between Hong Kong and the enlarged Community. The bilateral

agreement will be within the framework of the GATT Multifibre