§ Mr. HendryTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what countries have most-favoured nation status with the European Community; what trading advantages this provides; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NeedhamArticle I of the general agereement on tariffs and trade requires GATT contracting parties to apply their external trade regimes, including customs tariffs, to all other contracting parties in the same way and without discrimination. The advantages of this so-called most-favoured nation provision are clarity and certainty of rights and obligations in international trade. The European community grants basic most-favoured nation status to all countries, although a number of countries, particularly developing countries, enjoy preferential trading status with the Community under special arrangements for that purpose.