TNAG-1094-FCO40-1344-European-Community-common-format-passports-Hong-Kong-and-Dep-1981 — Page 25

Sir E Youde

Copied to:

Private Secretary PS/Lord Privy Seal PS/Mr Luce PS/PUS

Lord Bridges Mr Donald

Mr Adams

Mr Spreckley

Mr Jones NTD

C

ECD(I)

Mr Morrice HKGD

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED

Mr Hagamy INDE

HK JD Love

Ник

HKK 343/2 **ARY NO. 51

12. Q MAR 1981

OMAR

ER

REGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

Reno 2013

a

RA

is

thank you. The key point in

the last one.

ункад

of NKGD comed

Ichnld be grateful

wond and a framela

with NTD which could be used

Mr Franklin - Cabinet Office

publedy on this point.

519/3

EC COMMON FORMAT PASSPORT:

1.

THE HONG KONG ANGLE

Lord Bridges has asked me to let you have a brief note on this issue. While I am clearly seized of the degree of political sensitivity of Hong Kong at the moment, resulting principally from the Nationality Bill, and therefore of the "straw that breaks the camel's back" arguments about the EC Common Format proposal, I cannot myself see any direct connexion between the two issues. But that may well be because I do not know enough about it.

2.

I set out some points in the form of questions and answers:

(i)

(ii)

Is there anything new or unprecedented about an EC matter which does not apply to Hong Kong and which thus makes a distinction between Hong Kong and the UK?

No.

Hong Kong was specifically and willingly excluded from the scope of our accession to the Community. Thus no EC rules have ever applied there. Hong Kong goods pay the third country tariff on export to the UK; Hong Kong citizens enjoy none of the free movement provisions of the EC etc etc.

Should we have consulted Hong Kong about the EC common format passport?

No. We never, so far as I know, consult Hong Kong about EC legislation,since it does not apply

there.

CONFIDENTIAL

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