WORLD TRADE WT/L/187
18October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4372)
FRANCE -TRADING ARRANGEMENTS WITH MOROCCO
Extension ofwaiver
Decision of14October 19961
Noting that,following arequest bytheGovernment ofFrance, theCONTRACTING PARTIES,
byDecision of19November 19602,waived foranunlimited period theprovisions ofparagraph 1of
Article IoftheGeneral Agreement, totheextent necessary topermit France toapply duty-free tariff
quotas toanumber ofproducts originating inparts oftheterritory oftheKingdom ofMorocco not
covered bytheprovisions ofparagraphs 2and4ofArticle IoftheGATT 1947(nowtheGATT 1994);
Noting that,inaccordance withparagraph 2oftheUnderstanding inrespect ofWaivers of
ObligationsundertheGATT1994(hereinafterreferredtoas"theUnderstandinginrespectofWaivers"),
anywaiver ineffect onthedateofentry intoforce oftheMarrakesh Agreement Establishing theWTO
(hereinafter referred toas"theWTO Agreement") shallterminate, unless extended inaccordance with
theprocedures mentioned inparagraph 1oftheUnderstanding inrespect ofWaivers andthose of
Article IXoftheWTO Agreement, onthedateofitsexpiry ortwoyears from thedateofentry into
force oftheWTO Agreement, whichever isearlier; thattherefore thewaiver fortheabove-mentioned
trading Arrangements withMorocco (hereinafter referred toas"thewaiver") shall terminate on
31December 1996, unless itisextended;
Taking noteoftherequest3oftheEuropean Communities, made inaccordance withparagraph 1
oftheUnderstanding inrespect ofWaivers andparagraph 3ofArticle IXoftheWTO Agreement,
toextend thewaiver untiltheentry intoforce oftheEuro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing an
association between theEuropean Communities andtheirMember States, oftheonepart, andthe
Kingdom ofMorocco, oftheother partoruntil31December 1997, whichever isearlier;
Bearing inmindthe1979Decision onDifferential andMore Favourable Treatment, Reciprocity
andFuller Participation ofDeveloping Countries;
./.
1Adopted inaccordance with theDecision-Making Procedures under Articles IXandXIIoftheWTO
Agreement agreed bytheGeneral Council (WT/L/93).
2BISD 9S/39.
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Considering thetraditionally strong tiesbetween France andMorocco andtheobjective ofthese
trading arrangements withMorocco toassist thesound economic development ofthelatter, inamanner
consistent withtheobjectives oftheWTO andnottoraiseundue barriers ortocreate undue difficulties
forthetrade ofother WTO Members;
Noting thattheexceptional circumstances justifying thewaiver stillexistandthattheEuropean
Communities havegiven assurances thattheywill,upon request, promptly enter intoconsultations
withanyinterested WTO Member withrespect toanydifficulty ormatter thatmayariseasaresult
oftheextension ofthewaiver;
Noting thatnoterms andconditions wereattached totheoriginal waiver; thattheusual terms
andconditions forwaivers should therefore besetout;that,however, anannual report totheGeneral
Council isnotrequired, asthewaiver isextended foroneyearatmost;
Noting thatthisrequest hasbeenmade bytheEuropean Communities without prejudice to
theirrighttorequest arenewal ofthewaiver bytheendof1997, should thisprove necessary;
Members, acting pursuant totheprovisions ofparagraph 2oftheUnderstanding inrespect
ofWaivers andparagraphs 3and4ofArticle IXoftheWTO Agreement.
Decide that:
1. Subject totheterms andconditions setouthereunder, thewaiver fortheTrading Arrangements
with Morocco granted byparagraph 1oftheDecision oftheCONTRACTING PARTIES of
19November 19604(hereinafter referred toas"thewaiver") isextended untiltheentry intoforce of
theEuro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing anassociation between theEuropean Communities
andtheirMember States, oftheonepart,andtheKingdom ofMorocco, oftheother partoruntil
31December 1997, whichever isearlier. ThisDecision iswithout prejudice totherightoftheEuropean
Communities torequest arenewal ofthewaiver, should thisprove necessary.
2. Theduty-free tariff quotas applied under thewaiver forimports intoFrance ofproducts
originating inparts oftheterritory oftheKingdom ofMorocco notcovered bytheprovisions of
paragraphs 2and4ofArticle IoftheGATT 1994 shallbedesigned nottoraisebarriers orcreate
undue difficulties forthetrade ofother Members.
3. TheEuropean Communities shallpromptly notify theGeneral Council ofanychanges inthe
application ofthose duty-free tariff quotas.
4. TheEuropean Communities will,upon request, promptly enter intoconsultations withany
interested Member withrespect toanydifficulty ormatter thatmayariseasaresult oftheextension
ofthewaiver; where aMember considers thatanybenefit accruing toitunder theGATT 1994 may
orisbeing impaired unduly asaresult ofthisextension, suchconsultation shallexamine thepossibility
ofaction forasatisfactory adjustment ofthematter. ThisDecision doesnotaffect Members 'rights
assetforth intheUnderstanding inrespect ofWaivers ofObligations under theGATT 1994.
4BISD 9S/39.