§ Mr. LathamTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will raise in the European Council of Ministers the need for arrangements to be in place before 1992 to prevent knitwear imports from Third world countries entering the Federal Republic of Germany through the German Democratic Republic and purporting to be manufactured in COMECON countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Atkins[holding answer 21 February 1989]: Under the terms of inner German trade, goods originating in the German Democratic Republic may enter the Federal Republic of Germany free of import duty. This arrangement does not apply to other member countries of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON). The Federal authorities monitor consignments of textiles to ensure compliance with the origin requirements, and United Kingdom officials will shortly review these and other procedures with the Economics Ministry in Bonn to minimise the risk of abuse of inner German trade in the run-up to 1992 and beyond. If my hon. Friend is aware of any specific cases arousing concern I should be grateful if he would bring them to my attention.