CONFIDENTIAL
BEEN ABLE TO CLARIFY OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ITS IMPACT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, ESPECIALLY FOR A NUMBER OF PRODUCTS WHICH ARE REGIONALLY SENSITIVE FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM.
4.
I CAN NOW INFORM THE COUNCIL AND I AM GLAD OF THIS BECAUSE A UNITED COMMUNITY POSITION IS WHAT WE ALL SEEK - THAT IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM TO LIFT ITS RESERVE ON THE ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT DIRECTIVE IN ORDER TO ENABLE REAL NEGOTIATIONS TO BEGIN. BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, I MUST SEEK THE COMMISSION'S CONFIRMATION THAT THERE IS
NO MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT A NUMBER OF POINTS WHICH ARE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE UNITED KINGDOM:
(1) FIRST, EFFECTIVE TRIGGERS FOR NEW DISRUPTION REMAIN
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. SUB-PARAGRAPH (11) A ON PAGE 6 OF THE DOCUMENT STATES THAT WHERE IMPORTS OF GROUP 2 PRODUCTS REACH DEFINED LEVELS, RESTRAINTS COMMUNITY WIDE OR REGIONAL AS APPROPRIATE WILL, AND I EMPHASIZE WILL, BE INTRODUCED AT THE REQUEST OF A MEMBER STATE. I UNDERSTAND THIS TO MEAN THAT ACTION WILL BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY AND THAT, ALTHOUGH MEMBER STATES WOULD. IN PRACTICE EXERCISE JUDGEMENT AS REGARDS THE SCALE AND TIMING OF THEIR REQUESTS, THEIR RIGHT TO MAKE THEM IS UNQUALIFIED.
(11) SECOND, THERE IS THE PROBLEM OF CUMULATIVE DISRUPTION FROM
COUNTRIES NOT SUBJECT TO BILATERAL AGREEMENTS. IN THE MANDATE AGREED BY THE COUNCIL LAST JUNE THERE WAS A FIRM COMMITMENT THAT WHERE IMPORTS FROM ANY NEW SUPPLIER CAUSE OR THREATEN TO AGGRAVATE A SITUATION OF MARKET DISRUPTION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY" THE COMMUNITY WOULD IMMEDIATELY INITIATE NEGOTIATIONS FOR CONSULTATIONS WITH THE SUPPLYING COUNTRIES'': AND THAT ANY RESTRAINT WHICH MIGHT BE CALLED FOR SHOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE WITHIN THREE MONTHS. THIS COMMITMENT IS ONE TO WHICH THE COMMUNITY MUST ADHERE, AND WE SHALL AWAIT WITH INTEREST THE FURTHER WORK WHICH MUST BE DONE IN DEVELOPING
THE SECOND TRIGGER MECHANISMS,
(111) THIRD, I MUST SEEK A FIRM ASSURANCE THAT IN MATTERS OF
POLITICAL SENSITIVITY TO MEMBER COUNTRIES THE COMMISSION WILL IN THE COURSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS SEEK AND ACCORD
2 CONFIDENTIAL
PROPER
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