HC Deb 31 October 1984 vol 65 c1005W
Mr. Gould

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in how many cases the trigger level of imports into the United Kingdom has been exceeded without the introduction of new quotas.

Mr. Channon

The trigger level indicates the point at which the European Community may request consultations with the supplying country with a view to agreeing a new quota; but whether such a request can in practice be justified depends essentially upon the Community's ability to demonstrate market disruption. During 1983 and the first half of 1984 there were 148 instances where imports into the United Kingdom from supplying countries, with whom the Community has a bilateral agreement under the multi-fibre arrangement or associate arrangements, exceeded the United Kingdom trigger levels. New quotas were achieved in 16 of these cases.