It lends a dimension of difficulty when conducting a bilateral
negotiation, to be looking over your shoulder and having to interpret
the possible reactions of other ELC countries. It is just a point that
we have to be very conscious of for the future.
205. Do you think our membership of the EEC, therefore,
unnecessarily complicates the matter or do you think it perhaps gives
more olout to our negotiating position?
(Mr Young) It depends entirely on the circumstances and how we
play the system. I use those last words deliberately.
206.
Do you find our civil servants in our Department of Trade ană
Industry skilled at "playing the system"?
207.
(Mr Young) Yes, as far as I have been concerned.
Can I ask you, also on the EEC subject, about the use of
European Community funds in ASEAN? Is the UK getting a disproportionately
low share of the benefits of such funds?
(Mr Goddard) An important part of these funds is the EEC
grants to the non-Member State countries and the non-ACP
countries, which include a lot of countries in South-east Asia.
The sums are almost solely grant monies which do not have to be
repaid; neither do they carry interest. They are measured in millions
of LOUS and I think, from memory, we are talking about something like
12 million ECUs under LOME V, which are allocated for use, largely for
developmental and triggering purposes, feasibility studies, economic
investigations, marketing investigations in these countries.
Of course, Britain subscribes its due share as a joint source of such
A lot of these monies arc allocated for studies and design work
which go largely to consulting firms rather than manufacturing
monics.
companies and Britain has a long, successful track record in the
consulting sector. Looked at in terms of the total use of available
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