Following on from this, I've received (finally) an official reply from FN Herstal and it reads:
Dear Sir
It is a standard type.
Yout FAL was manufactured in 1962.
Prior to that I've also worked out that the crests are German, not Austrian (thanks @Tommy) meaning it served as a G1 in the Bundesgrenzshutz (West German Border Guards). The barrel was cut down by previous owner.
Oldest firearm I own!
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