asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism the rate of the EEC common external tariff on the twenty major Irish export products to the other EEC Member States; and if protection for these exports will be significantly diminished by the enlargement of the EEC or by arrangements now being made under the EEC Treaty or GATT.
Written Answers. - EEC Exports Protection.
333.
The major products exported by Ireland to the other EEC Member States are as follows:
|
Common External Tariff Reference |
|
|
02.01. II |
Beef, fresh or frozen (with bone). |
|
04.03 |
Butter. |
|
29.35 |
Heterocyclic compounds; nucleic acids. |
|
04.04 |
Cheese and curd. |
|
02.01 II |
Beef and veal, fresh or frozen (boneless). |
|
84.53.410 |
Digital machines. |
|
87.02 |
Motor vehicles, new and used, knocked down or other. |
|
84.55 |
Parts and accessories for office machines. |
|
18.06 |
Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa. |
|
90.17 |
Medical, surgical and veterinary appliances. |
|
21.07 |
Food preparations. |
|
01.02.484 |
Store bullocks. |
|
51.04 |
Woven fabrics of man made fibres (continuous). |
|
26.01.600 |
Zinc. |
|
02.01 III |
Pork, bacon etc. |
|
29.44 |
Antibiotics. |
|
23.07 |
Sweetened forage; other preparations used in animal feeds. |
|
2601.500 |
Lead. |
|
01.02.482 |
Bullocks (for slaughter). |
|
16.02 |
Prepared or preserved meat or meat offal. |
The rate of duty in the Common External Tariff on the industrial products listed above varies between Nil and 17.4%. The tariff on agricultural items ranges from nil plus variable levy to 20% plus levy. Details of rates chargeable under the Common External Tariff are shown in the Customs and Exercise Tariff of Ireland.
The effect on competition of accession of Greece to the Community will be negligible. Greece, under an association agreement already had duty free access to the Community for industrial products. For the agricultural products listed Greece is a net importer so that market opportunities for Irish exporters of these products would be increased.
Due to the many uncertainties involved it would not be possible at this stage to assess the likely effects of future accession of Spain and Portugal to the Community but it appears that in general these countries would also be net importers of the agricultural products listed.
In the Tokyo Round of multilateral trade negotiations under GATT and other international negotiations certain changes in tariffs on industrial and agricultural products have been agreed with a view to securing reciprocal advantages in other markets. Our object in these negotiations was to secure an improvement for our traders in overall world market terms.