TNAG-0464-FCO40-529-Entitlement-of-Hong-Kong-to-EEC-Generalised-Scheme-of-Prefer-1974 — Page 228

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AK.EEL/651

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 51

17 SEP 1974

p.c.

Following is the text of a press release which was issued on 27th July, 1974 in Hong Kong:

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY "e. ^t

"NEW MOVES TO PRESS HONG KONG'S CASE 17 SEP 1974

FOR BETTER TREATMENT BY EEC

HKK6/598/1

A two man team of Hong Kong Government officials is now visiting the capitals of the Member States of the European Economic Community to press Hong Kong's case for better treatment in the Community's generalised preference scheme.

In each capital the British Embassy has arranged for the Hong Kong representatives to see key officials concerned with the scheme.

Mr. Pat Dodge, Hong Kong's Counsellor for Commercial Affairs in Brussels, accompanied by an official on the staff of the United Kingdom Permanent Representative in Brussels, has earlier presented to the European Commission in Brussels a memorandum pressing for the inclusion of Hong Kong's textiles and footwear in the Community's scheme.

Mr. Dodge is being accompanied on his visits to the capitals by Mr. Peter Tsao of the Commerce & Industry Department, and in each case they are supported by a British Embassy official.

At the same time the Director of Commerce & Industry, Mr. David Jordan, has made arrangements to see the Consuls-General of the member countries of the Community in Hong Kong to reiterate the Hong Kong Government's concern over the Commission's proposals for the revision of the preference scheme in 1975.

These latest moves to pursue Hong Kong's case for better treatment in the Scheme are a follow-up to the statement made by the Foreign & Commonwealth Secretary, Mr. James Callaghan, in the EEC Council of Ministers on 4 June, when he said:

"we need substantial improvement in the position of Hong Kong where at present time United Kingdom has to discriminate against one of its own territories.""

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