§ Mr. Denzil DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list those goods and products from the German Democratic Republic which are allowed to be imported into(a) the European Economic Community and (b) the Federal Republic of Germany free from tariff.
§ Mr. Redwood[holding answer 23 October 1989]: The European Community's common external tariff applies to 378W all goods from the German Democratic Republic (GDR). There are special arrangements for trade between the GDR and the Federal Republic under which authorised imports originating in the GDR are permitted duty-free entry into the Federal Republic. Goods on a list comprising most industrial categories may be traded between the GDR and the Federal Republic free of import duty and other restrictions. Re-exported goods are not automatically subject to import duties in other member states. Under the EC treaty's protocol on inner German trade, member states are able to take safeguard action against GDR goods entering their territory via the Federal Republic. If there are specific complaints about the entry of GDR goods into the United Kingdom by this route they should be made known to the DTI and FCO who regularly review this question with the Ministry of Economics in Bonn.