HC Deb 17 March 1976 vol 907 c547W
75. Sir G. de Freitas

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, in view of the fact that in money terms Spain is now the United Kingdom's second largest supplier of footwear and that Spain's tariffs on British footwear range from 16 per cent. to 25 per cent., whether he will give an assurance that the present United Kingdom tariff concession will be withdrawn unless the Spanish Government reduce the rates against British footwear.

Mr. Shore

Pending the conclusion of a new trade agreement between the EEC and Spain the United Kingdom tariff on imports of most types of Spanish footwear has been kept at pre-Accession rates, which are in general slightly lower than third country rates. I can assure my hon. Friend that we are not prepared to continue indefinitely this or other tariff concessions without reciprocal concessions from Spain.

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