TNAG-0530-FCO40-625-Trade-union-relations-in-Hong-Kong-industry-1975 — Page 21

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Menting with Foreign and Commonvintin Mucretary. December 1975.

Economic and Social Committee

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The General Council have nominated representatives to the Economic and Social Committee and to five advisory committees of the Community.

There are practical difficulties of timing, and of the extent of the demands made by attendance at section and group meetings. The exclusion of substitutes and experts is a limitation,. and so is the excessive formality of proceedings, and the lack of dialogue with Ministers. The Standing Committee on Employment may be better, but it too has limitations.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary might be asked whether he is aware of any support for changes in the Economic and Social Committee and improvement of contacts generally.

Developments in the European Communities, April - October.

A copy of a White Paper was sent to all members of the International Committee, which deals briefly with developments within the Community in broad fields of policy since April and with the part taken by the British Government. The Foreign and Commonwealth

Secretary might wish to comment on the summit meeting, Rome, Deceiver 1-2, at which the basis of Community representation at the forthcoming international oil conference was the principal question.

Tripartite Social and Economic Conference

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The General Council took part in a tripartite social and economic conference in Brussels on November 18. Mr. Foot attended and Mr. Denzil Davies MP, Minister of State, represented the Treasury The representatives of the TUC pointed out the need for action particularly by those countries with balance of payments surpluses to take planned and co-ordinated measures to stimulate investment, to encourage greater utilisation of existing capacity, and to reduce unemployment. They also referred to the need for selective import controls.