E.E.C. lew to be increased

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33447, 31 January 1974, Page 2

E.E.C. lew to be increased

(N Z.P.A.-Keuter—Copyright) BRUSSELS, January 29. Special Common Market levies on British imports of butter and cheese from New Zealand would be raised next Friday, informed sources said today. But they could not say how large the rises could be.

Levies are fixed by the Common Market’s Executive Commission, under the terms of the British Treaty of Accession to the Community, to prevent New Zealand’s butter and cheese exports from undercutting Common Market prices.

The Commission had yet to decide how much to raise the levies on Friday, the sources said. The increases, planned in anticipation of higher British butter prices from March 1, would be liable to further adjustment once E.E.C. Agriculture Ministers had set Common Market guaranteed farm prices this year.

They are pledged to try for an agreement on this traditionally difficult problem next month, in time for the E.E.C. dairy and beef seasons to start on March 1, a month earlier than usual.

The commission has pro- , posed a 6.6 per cent cut in guaranteed butter prices. But [even if this were approved by the Ministers, British housewives would still have to pay more as part of the five-stage programme to equal prices paid in the original six member States of the Community. London murder

A second man has been charged with the murder of the British writer, James Pope-Hennessy, who was the official biographer of the late Queen Mary and was chosen to write the biography of the i late playwright and comIposet, Sir Noel Coward. John Wilkinson, aged 22, will appear in court later today with i John James O’Brien, aged 23, ; who was charged on Monday. —Londan, Jan. 30.