HC Deb 27 October 1982 vol 29 cc391-2W
Mr. McQuarrie

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on the result of the discussions which took place at the meeting of the European Economic Community Council of Ministers on 25 and 26 October in relation to further progress on the multi-fibre arrangement bilateral trade negotiations.

Mr. Ford

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement upon the outcome of the European Economic Community Council of Ministers' meeting regarding the multi-fibre arrangement bilateral trade negotiations.

Mr. Peter Rees:

The Council discussed the Commission's report on progress in the bilateral negotiations up to the end of September. The Council instructed the Commission to renew negotiations in regard to the three dominant suppliers, Hong Kong, South Korea and Macao. It affirmed the existing negotiating mandate and instructed the Commission to renew negotiations on the basis of it. In regard to the ASEAN countries which have not yet initialled agreements—Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines arid Singapore—the Council authorised some limited adaptation which would not if accepted by the other parties involve any amendment to the global ceilings.

The Commission is to report upon its efforts to reach agreements with these suppliers in time to enable the Council to take a final decision as to whether the Community should continue to participate in the MFA next year.

Finally, the Council instructed the Commission to proceed with the preparation of unilateral measures in respect of those countries which might not have initialled agreements, which would enter into force at the beginning of January if the remaining negotiations are not concluded successfully by the end of the year. In such an event, the Council decided that the agreements already initialled should be honoured and applied from 1 January 1983.

Mr. Cryer

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on the current negotiations on the multi-fibre arrangement.

Mr. Peter Rees

[pursuant to his reply, 22 October 1982, c. 239]: The list of countries with whom negotiations under the multi-fibre arrangement have been suspended should have included Indonesia, which was omitted in error.