TNAG-0762-FCO40-966-Effect-of-GATT-Multi-Fibre-Arrangement-(MFA)-on-Hong-Kong-ex-1978 — Page 164

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MAVING AGREED THE COMMISSION'S DRAFT ENTRY IN THE MINUTES WITH SATISFACTORY AMENDMENTS. UNLESS THE DUTCH CAN CONFIRM WITHIN A WEEK THAT THEY CAN NOW ACCEPT THIS LANGUAGE, THE PRESIDENCY WILL SUSPEND CONSIDERATION OF THE DOSSIER INDEFINITELY.

DETAILS.

2. DISCUSSION WAS BASED ON THE DRAFT COMMISSION STATEMENT FOR ENTRY IN THE COREPER MINUTES AS SET OUT IN THE ANNEX TO T/153/78.

3. THE COUNCIL LEGAL SERVICES INSISTED THAT A REFERENCE TO ARTICLE

113 OF THE TREATY WAS NEEDED IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH. THIS WAS

AGREED.

4. THE CHAIR PROPOSED REDRAFTING THE THIRD PARAGRAPH TO ALIGN IT MORE CLOSELY WITH ARTICLE 4 OF COUNCIL REGULATION NO 265/78, WHICH

WOULD OBVIATE THE NEED FOR THE LAST SENTENCE, THE COMMISSION OFFERED NO OBJECTION, BUT VAN SWINDEREN (NL) PROFESSED ATTACHMENT FOR THE

PARAGRAPH AS ORIGINALLY DRAFTED: THOUGH HE WAS CAREFUL TO AVOID COMMITTING HIMSELF TO ACCEPTING IT. SCHEER (FRANCE) WHO SHARED THE PRESIDENCY'S OBJECTIONS TO THE LAST SENTENCE, ALLOWED HIMSELF (AS DID THE CHAIR) TO BE PERSUADED THAT THE CONTEXT RENDERED IT

HARMLESS.

5. THE PARAGRAPH WAS AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION LEFT ESSENTIALLY AS FOLLOWS, IN WHICH (INELEGANT) FORM ALL INCLUDING THE COMMISSION BUT

EXCLUDING VAN SWINDEREN ACCEPTED IT:

**ACCORDING TO ARTICLE 4 OF THESE COMMON RULES, EXCEPT FOR THE

PROVISIONS OF REGULATION (EEC) NO 265/78 AND OF OTHER COMMUNITY

MEASURES NOW IN FORCE OR WHICH MAY BE ADOPTED, IMPORTS OF TEXTILE PRODUCTS LISTED IN THE ANNEX TO THE REGULATION ARE NOT SUBJECT TO

QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS. CONSEQUENTLY, FURTHER QUANTITATIVE

RESTRICTIONS ON PRODUCTS COVERED BY THE MFA MAY ONLY BE INTRODUCED

IN THE SECTOR IN QUESTIONS BY MEANS OF COMMUNITY MEASURES.

6. IN AN ILL-TIMED AND ABORTIVE ATTEMPT TO SUPPORT WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE DUTCH CASE, KITTEL (GERMANY) ALLOWED HIMSELF A CLUMSY ATTEMPT TO EXTRACT FROM THE COMMISSION A STATEMENT THAT THE COMMON

COMMERCIAL POLICY ON TEXTILES HAS THUS TAKEN -A DECISIVE STEP

CLOSER TO INTEGRATION. HE ARGUED THAT INDIVIDUAL MEMBER STATES HAD

NOW RENOUNCED THE RIGHT TO TAKE NATIONAL MEASURES ON TEXTILES NOT

ONLY FOR THE DURATION OF THE REGULATION OR OF THE MFA BUT

INDEFINITELY. BESELER (COMMISSION) CORRECTED HIM FIRMLY: IN THE FIRST PLACE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MFA PRODUCTS, NOT ALL TEXTILE PRODUCTS. THOUGH THE DIFFERENCE WAS ADMITTEDLY INSIGNIFICANT.