§ 13. Mr. David ShawTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide details of any current trade concessions that exist between the EEC and Eastern European countries for food and drink products.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonRomania and Yugoslavia, together with many non-Eastern European countries, benefit from reduced rates of duty on some food and drink products under the Community's generalised scheme of preferences. Yugoslavia, like many other Mediterranean countries, also benefits from a co-operation agreement with the EC.
§ Mr. ShawWill my hon. Friend give assurances that over the longer term those arrangements will be phased out and that our citizens and farmers will not be disadvantaged vis-a-vis those Eastern European countries?
§ Mr. ThompsonI cannot give an assurance that the arrangements will be phased out. The arrangements are complicated and voluminous. All sorts of countries, for all sorts of reasons, benefit.
§ Mr. SpeakerMr. Litherland. No. 14.
§ Mr. SpeakerI know. The hon. Gentleman has been called once before.