§ 39. Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total amount of exports of manufactured goods to the European Economic Community over the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; and what was the total of imports of manufactures from the European Economic Community in the same period.
§ Mr. ButcherIn the 12 months to September 1985, United Kingdom exports of manufactures to the European Community were £20,200 million and imports were £28,100 million (balance of payments basis).
§ 41. Mr. Coombsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement of progress on reducing the internal barriers to trade within the European Community.
§ Mr. ChannonSubstantial progress in reducing a wide range of internal barriers to Community trade is recorded in the Luxembourg Presidency's report to the Council (document numbers 9171/85 and 9172/85). The Commission's White Paper entitled "Completing the Internal Market", of which the June European Council took favourable note, sets out its objectives for the removal of the remaining barriers. (A copy of these documents is available in the Library of the House.) The European Council agreed on the removal of remaining barriers by 1992 in priority areas including the removal of physical and technical barriers to the movement of goods. The October Internal Market Council endorsed arrangements for establishing a detailed programme for carrying this work forward in the next 15 months.