Mr. Crimondasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present position of the French Government over imports of lamb and mutton to France; what is the attitude of the British Government; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BishopIn the absence of a common regime for sheepmeat, the French Government have continued their national measures including controls on United Kingdom exports to France. The EEC Commission has initiated proceedings under the Rome Treaty and asked France to justify the legality of these import controls. Meanwhile the French Government have proceeded with the annual raising of their threshold price and levies from 6 March 1978.
On 1st March the United Kingdom Government sent a telegram to the EEC Commission drawing attention to the French action and stating that the likely disruptive effect and potential trade distortion arising from this discrimination was regarded as totally unacceptable by the United Kingdom Government