§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Trade to what extent there has been expansion and greater liberalisation of trade covering industrial and agricultural products since the United Kingdom entered the EEC.
§ Mr. DeakinsBetween 1972 and 1974, our trade, including imports as well as exports, with the other member States of the European Community in manufactured goods and food has increased by 97 per cent. and 117 per cent. respectively, and with the rest of the world by 70 per cent. and 36 per cent.
The main moves towards liberalisation of our trade with the Community have been the progressive reduction of tariffs between the new and the original members of the Community, and the progress the Community is making towards the removal of technical barriers to trade. At the same time, we have had to align our external tariff to that of the CCT, involving, in the case of several Commonwealth countries, an increase in United Kingdom tariffs.
The main developments affecting the Community's trade with the rest of the world have been the conclusion of the GATT Article XXIV: 6 negotiations, the signing of the Lomé Convention with 46 developing countries, and the agreement on the Community's Scheme of Generalised Preferences for 1975.
In addition, a number of non-preferential trade agreements have been signed and others are being negotiated with various developing countries. Negotiations are currently in progress between the Community and certain Mediterranean countries which should lead to reductions in Community tariffs, and also in the forum of the GATT multilateral trade negotiations, which should result in further liberalisation of world trade.