§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Trade on how many occasions Her Majesty's Government have used the provisions of article 115 of the Treaty of Rome, relating to commercial policy; and, in each case, in what circumstances.
§ Mrs. Sally OppenheimCommission decision 80/47/EEC of 20 December 1979 established new procedures governing the arrangements whereby, under article 115 of the Treaty of Rome, imports of goods in free circulation within the Community can be made subject to import licences if they threaten to undermine quotas imposed on the direct import of such goods.
Since these new procedures came into effect on 1 August 1980 a total of 17 applications have been made under the provisions of article 115 for authority to refuse United Kingdom import licences. Six applications in respect of the following items were upheld by the Commission: cotton yarn from Mexico, poly/cotton fabric from South Korea, men's suits from Bulgaria, tents from Taiwan, bananas from Costa Rica and Guatemala and footwear from China. Eleven applications were rejected by the Commission: sweatshirts from Romania, anoraks from Taiwan—a total of three applications—ski jackets from China, cotton handerkerchiefs from Czechoslovakia—a total of two applications—blouses from Romania, tents from Taiwan, cotton cloth from the USSR and footwear from China.