§ 47. Mr. Wolrige-Gordonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the exact nature of the understanding on pig meat with the European Economic Community; how long it is scheduled to last; and how it is to be enforced.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe Community has formally recognised the value of continued stability for pigmeat, the importance of the United Kingdom bacon market in an enlarged Community and252W the need to keep the situation under review during the transitional period and afterwards.
§ Mr. Deakinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what import levies, quotas and veterinary regulations apply in each of the European Economic Community countries to imports of mutton and lamb from the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartSupplies of mutton and lamb imported into each of the European Economic Community countries from third countries are not subject to Community import levies or quotas, but the Community applies a common external tariff of 20 per cent. Individual countries impose various border taxes and regulations, including quantitative restrictions. France allows imports of fresh and chilled mutton and lamb when the weighted average wholesale price for fresh meat in Paris exceeds a specified level over a certain time, and there is a total embargo on frozen meats, which in effect excludes New Zealand mutton and lamb. In the case of Germany imports of lamb from third countries are subject to a 2,500 ton quota, and there is an embargo on imports of mutton. As regards veterinary import requirements, European Economic Community directive No. 64/433, as amended, stipulates that requirements imposed on non-member countries shall not be less stringent than those laid down in the directive for intra-community trade.
§ Mr. Nottasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he now expects, should the United Kingdom enter the European Economic Community, to protect the United Kingdom producers of winter cauliflower, spring flowers (narcissi), early potatoes and spring cabbage against dumping, transport and other subsidies from other Member countries, and from countries outside the Community; and whether the protection against subsidies of this nature to encourage the export of surpluses from the European Economic Community would be greater for United Kingdom producers inside or outside the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartWe expect that measures would be available to us, as members of the Community, to counteract 253W distortion of competition, within the Community or from outside, which should not be any less effective than our present arrangements in securing fair treatment for United Kingdom producers.