TNAG-1580-FCO40-2154-Extension-to-Hong-Kong-of-European-Community--European-Free-1987 — Page 73

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The value of the Convention is that a judgement given by a superior court in a civil or commercial matter in one of the countries concerned may be enforced in one of the other countries concerned without the need for further court proceed- ings. If the Convention were extended to, say, Bermuda, a judgement of a Bermudian court could similarly be enforced in, say, France in the same manner. Because of its subject matter, I suspect this would be of interest only to the relatively soph- isticated Dependent Territories. Hong Kong would normally be one of those. Mr Carpenter appears to assume that we would not, in the present situation, be extending the Convention to Hong Kong. I doubt if that is correct but would welcome guidance from Mr Layden and, if possible, the attendance of someone from his Department at the meeting. I would hope to keep it relatively short and take the Dependent Territory issue first. I should be grateful to know in advance who will be able to

come.

5.

Finally, I must apologise for the late notice of this complicated issue. Despite the date on Mr Carpenter's letter I did not actually receive it until the very end of last week on my return from official business abroad.

MR Eaton

1 July 1986

CC: Mr Layden, HKD

Miss Evans, ECD (E)

MR Eaton

Legal Advisers