§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the negotiations being held between EC officials and the Republic of China regarding the bilateral agreement covering cashmere and fine animal hair imports into the EC; and what restitution is to be offered in compensation for recent overshipment of cashmere garments to EC markets.
§ Mr. NeedhamThe European Community has only just opened negotiations with China on renewal of the bilateral agreement on textiles and clothing. The Commission, prompted by the United Kingdom, is taking a resolute line on the future level of cashmere imports and on compensation for past overshipments. It is too early to forecast the outcome on those points.