. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/L/403
26 June 2001
(01-3201)
Original:  English
COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL
TEXTILES AND CLOTHING BUREAU
Thirty-Third Session
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 11-14 June 2001
Communication from Uruguay
The following communiqué from the above-mentioned meeting held in Rio de Janeiro, has
been received from the Permanent Mission of Uruguay with the request that it be circulated to
delegations.
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INTERNATIONAL TEXTILES AND CLOTHING BUREAU
Rio de Janeiro Communiqué
1. The ITCB1 Council of Representatives, meeting at it s 33rd Session, expressed frustration and
disappointment that even after seven years of implementation of the Agreement on Textiles and
Clothing (ATC), the developed restraining counties have yet to move towards commercially
meaningful dismantling of quota restrictions on devel oping countries' exports of textiles and clothing.
Barely 20 per cent of the trade actually restrained by quotas has been notified for integration, leaving
80 per cent of such trade pending until the last day of the process.
2. Reaffirming that the full integration of textiles and clothing into the GATT shall be achieved
by the end of 2004, the Council urged the developed restraining countries to make use of the
flexibility available under the existing provisions of the ATC to allow exporting developing countriesto realize the economic benefits expected of the Agreement, particularly in the framework of the
resolution of the implementation-related problems underway in the WTO General Council.  It
especially recalled that this is one of the essential considerations in the preparation of the 4th
Ministerial Conference of the WTO to be held in Doha.
3. The Council stressed that the ATC is an integral part of the WTO and that its full and
effective implementation is of vital importance to the credibility of the multilateral trading system.  It
also emphasized the importance of full compliance with the provisions of the ATC to provide
meaningful increases in access possibilities for small suppliers and least-developed countries.
                                                     
1 The ITCB Members are: Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Egypt, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Repu blic of Korea, DPR of Korea, Maldives, Mexico,
Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uruguay, Vietnam, Hong Kong, China and Macau, China.WT/L/403
Page 2
4. In the above context, the Council considered it unfair and against the principles of
multilateralism and single undertaking for some developed countries to link the pace of quota
liberalization with additional market-access concessions by developing countries.  It also expressed
concern at the discrimination resulting from eliminating quota restrictions on certain non-WTO
countries while retaining them on developing country WTO Members, and at the reluctance of amajor developed restraining country to commit itself to abolishing the visa requirements on integrated
products.
5. The Council stated that the developed restrain ing countries should extend the benefits of
liberalization in respect of integrated products to all developing countries.
6. The Council noted with concern that while the large bulk of restrained textile and clothing
products will only be integrated at the end of the transition period, major developed restraining
countries have not yet taken measures to allow for continuous industrial adjustment and increasedcompetition in their markets.  It decided to rema in vigilant against any undermining of liberalization.
It also resolved to resist any trade harassment measur es by them, such as unjustified recourse to anti-
dumping, safeguards and/or changes in rules of origin.  The Council requested the ITCB Secretariat to
closely follow developments in these areas.
7. The Council expressed its satisfaction over the actions and follow up taken since the last
meeting underscoring the concerns of the members of the Bureau and presenting them forcefully at
every occasion in meetings and through communications and visits to trading partners. The Council
decided to use every opportunity to pursue its objectives, especially in the lead up to the 4
th
Ministerial Conference of the WTO and the second major review of ATC implementation by theCouncil for Trade in Goods of the WTO.
8. The presentations and discussions with representatives of importers' associations from the
United States and Europe on various issues of common interest proved extremely valuable in
understanding the current state of markets and the challenges ahead.
9. The presence of the Chairman of the Textiles Monitoring Body of the WTO and
representatives of the WTO and UNCTAD was highly appreciated and their presentations resulted inuseful exchanges.
10. The Council warmly welcomed Vietnam as member of the Bureau and looked forward to
mutually beneficial cooperation, including the holding of a session of the Council of Representatives
in the country.
11. The Council of Representatives of the ITCB expressed its profound gratitude to the
Government of Brazil and to the Brazilian Association of Textiles and Clothing Industries (ABIT) for
hosting the session in Rio de Janeiro from 11 to 14 June 2001. Minister Alcides Prates, personalrepresentative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs inaugurated the session. Mr. Stuart Harbinson of
Hong Kong, China, was elected Chairman and Mr. Alcides Prates and Mr. William Ehlers of Uruguay
were elected as Vice-Chairmen of the session.
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