PROTOCOL maintaining in force the Arrangement regarding international trade in textiles

The PARTIES to the Arrangement regarding international trade in textiles (hereinafter referred to as 'the Arrangement' or 'MFA'),

ACTING pursuant to paragraph 5 of Article 10 of the Arrangement,

REAFFIRMING that the terms of the Arrangement regarding the competence of the Textiles Committee and the Textiles Surveillance Body are maintained, and

FOLLOWING the Decision of the Textiles Committee adopted on 9 December 1992,

HEREBY AGREE as follows:

1. The Arrangement, including the Conclusions of the Textiles Committee adopted on 31 July 1986, as amended by the 1989 Protocol Amending the 1986 Protocol extending the Arrangement regarding international trade in textiles, shall be maintained in force for a further period of twelve months until 31 December 1993.

2. This Protocol shall be deposited with the Director-General to the CONTRACTING PARTIES to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. It shall be open for acceptance, by signature or otherwise, by the Parties to the Arrangement, by other governments accepting or acceding to the Arrangement pursuant to the provisions of Article 13 thereof and by the European Economic Community.

3. This Protocol shall enter into force with effect from 1 January 1993 for the parties which have accepted it by that date and it shall enter into force for a party which accepts it on a later date as of the date of such acceptance. It shall be applied provisionally, taking into account their constitutional and/or legislative procedures for ratification, as from 1 January 1993, by parties which have signed it subject to completion of constitutional procedures, or notified the depositary of their intention to apply it provisionally, by that date, and by other parties from the date of their signature or notification of provisional application.

DONE at Geneva this ninth day of December one thousand nine hundred and ninety-two, in a single copy, in the English, French and Spanish languages, each text being authentic.

Decision by the Textiles Committee to maintain in force the Arrangement regarding international trade in textiles for a period of 12 months

(1 January to 31 December 1993)

1. The Textiles Committee met on 9 December 1992 to resume the discussion that it had begun at its meeting on 6 December 1991 on the future of the Arrangement regarding international trade in textiles (MFA), in accordance with the provisions of Article 10.5 of the Arrangement.

2. The Committee decided to maintain in force the existing MFA, as extended by the 1986 Protocol, and as maintained in force by the 1991 Protocol, for a further period of 12 months from 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1993 in view of the fact that the Uruguay Round has not been completed.

3. The Committee reaffirmed the Conclusions of the Textiles Committee adopted on 31 July 1986 and the obligations contained therein. In this context, participants reiterated that full account should be taken, inter alia, of the special considerations provided for small suppliers and the least developed countries.

4. In taking their decision to further extend the MFA, participants proceeded on the understanding that bilateral agreements for the year 1993 will provide increased market access.

5. Participants reiterated their respect for the equity obligations in the Arrangement.

6. Participants reaffirmed their agreement to cooperate fully in dealing with problems relating to circumvention of the Arrangement.

7. Participants noted the concern expressed by a number of participants with respect to the problem of infringement of registered trade marks and designs in trade in textiles and clothing and noted that such problems could be dealt with in accordance with the relevant national laws and regulations.

8. As to the necessary legal steps in this regard, the Textiles Committee drew up the attached text of a Protocol maintaining in force the MFA for a further period of 12 months. The Protocol would enter into force on 1 January 1993.