HC Deb 20 July 1982 vol 28 cc98-9W
Mr. Shersby

asked the Minister for Trade what is his policy for securing the removal of existing non-tariff barriers and preventing the creation of new ones between member States of the European Community; what recent assessment he has made of the success of this policy; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Rees

The Government attach great importance to opening up further the internal market of the European Commmunity. With a view to minimising the impact of non-tariff barriers, securing their removal or preventing their creation, the Government are pressing inter alia the following policies:

  1. (a) the Government help to disseminate information about requirements laid down by other Community Governments;
  2. (b) where such requirements are compatible with Community law, the Government co-operate within the Community to cut the cost and effort they cause to business; sometimes by securing their alleviation, sometimes by promoting acceptable common formulations to take their place;
  3. (c) where, on the contrary, British companies have well-founded complaints of illegal discrimination, the Government defend their Treaty rights by making, or supporting, representations to the Commission and partner Governments;
  4. (d) the Government represent the United Kingdom view on matters which the Treaty has assigned to the Council, and which therefore depend on the collective political resolution of Governments.

Considerable progress has been made in the removal of barriers to trade in goods, though much remains to be done. The Government are not satisfied with the progress so far achieved in extending the freedom to provide services throughout the Community, and will continue to use every opportunity to work for the realisation of this fundamental principle of the Treaty of Rome.

Mr. John H. Osborn

asked the Minister for Trade if he will tabulate, from information available to him, the value of exports of manufactured goods from West Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Italy, respectively, stating in each case the amount and percentage going (a) within Western Europe and (b) outside Western Europe, and expressing this as a percentage of gross domestic product.

Exports of Manufactures in 1980
Federal Republic of Germany United Kingdom France Italy
Total exports of manufactures, US $bn 167 81 84 66
of which:
to other countries in Western Europe
US $ bn 113 43 52 42
As proportion of total per cent. 68 53 62 63
As proportion of GDP per cent. 14 8 8 11
to countries outside Western Europe
US $ bn 53 38 32 24
As proportion of total per cent. 32 47 38 37
AS proportion of GDP per cent. 7 7 5 6

Sources: OECD.

Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

Mr. John H. Osborn

asked the Minister for Trade if he will tabulate, from information available to him, the value of imports of food, and agricultural products, into West Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Italy,

Imports of Food and Agricultural Products in 1980
Federal Republic of Germany United Kingdom France Italy
Total imports of food and agricultural products US $ bn 18 13 11 11
As a proportion of imports of all commodities per cent. 10 11 9 11
Imports of food and agricultural products from countries outside Western Europe US $ bn 7 6 5 4

Sources: OECD.

Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

Mr. John H. Osborn

asked the Minister for Trade if he will tabulate, from information available to him, the value of exports of food, and agricultural products, from France, the Netherlands, West Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, Denmark, and the United Kingdom,

Exports of Food and Agriculture Products in 1980
France Netherlands Federal Republic of Germany Belgium and Luxembourg Denmark United Kingdom
Total exports of food and agricultural products US $bn 14 13 8 5 5 5
As a proportion of exports of all commodities per cent. 13 17 4 8 31 4
Exports of food and agricultural products to countries outside Western Europe US $bn 5 2 2 1 1 1

Sources: OECD.

Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

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