ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(78)54
Vol.1978/0020

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(78)54final.
Brussels,14February1978.
PROPOSAL FORACOUNCILREGULATION
amending "thefreetradeAgreementbetweentheEuropeanEconomic
CommunityandtheSuissConfederation bysubstituting forexisting
quotasasinglezero-dutyquota
(submittedtotheCouncilbytheCommission)
COM(78)54final.

COMMISSION COMMUNICATION TOTHE COUNCIL
Subject iAmendment ofProtocol No.1totheAgreement "between theEEC and .
the Swiss Confederation
1. Under thetransitional arrangements provided forinProtocol No.1
totheAgreement "between theCommunity andtheSwisB Confederation ,the
United Kingdom iaauthorized toopen eaoh year inrespect ofSwitzerland
nine zero-duty tariff quotas forcertain products falling within
Chapter 48(Annex A).
Switzerland hasrequested that those quotas "bereplaced byasingle -
quota .
1
2. Little useismade ofsome portions ofthequotas inquestion ,
while Swiss exporters show definite interest inother products covered by
these quotas .Inaddition ttotal exports oftheproducts concerned to
theUnited Kingdom have fallen substantially since 1974 andarerelatively
low .
Given thepresent structure oftariff quotas ,Swiss exporters arenot
able tomake appropriate useoftheexemption from customs duties .
3* TheUnited Kingdom andSwiss authorities concluded from their
technical discussions that Swiss exports oftheproducts concerned falling
within Chapter 48could becovered bya.single tariff quota ,which would
beanamalgam ofthelevels ofthepresent nine quotas .Since this situation
does notapply toimports from theother EFTA countries ,theUhited Kingdom
Government excluded thepossibility ofaccording similar treatment toother
EFTA countries *

-2-
4*Inordertobeabletoincorporatetheseamendmentsintothetext
oftheAgreementwithSwitzerland ,thereshouldbeanexchangeofletters
betweentheCommunityandtheSwissConfederation .
5*ItisrecommendedthattheCouncilapprovethedraftregulationand
lettersattachedtothisCommunication andthatitappointtheperson
empoweredtosignthisexchangeofletters*ItisproposedthatMr.de
Kergorlay,DeputyDirector-General intheCommission'sDirectorate-General
forExternalRelationssignfortheCommunity,inwhichcasetheAmbassador
.oftheSwissConfederation couldBignonbehalfofhisGovernment.
6*TheCommissionthereforerequeststobeauthorizedtonegotiate
withSwitzerlandtheamendmenttoProtocolNo*1totheAgreementbetween'
theCommunityandtheSwissConfederation *
«
Inordertosimplifythismatter,whichisofrelativelylimited
significance ,theCommissionissubmittingtheconcludingregulationat
theBametime*TheSwissMission*oaastateitsagreementwiththecontent
oftheexchangeofletters*

Proposalfora
CouncilRegulation(EEC)No._76of
concludinganAgreementintheformofanexchangeofletters
amendingAnnexAtoProtocolHo.1totheAgreementbetween
theEuropeanEconomicCommunityandtheSwissConfederation
THECOUNCILOPTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropeanEconomicCommunity,
andinparticularArticle113thereof,
Havingregardtotherecommendation fromtheCommission ,
WhereasitisnecessarytoamendAnnexAtoProtocolNo.1totheAgreement
betweentheEuropeanEconomicCommunityandtheSwissConfederation andto
concludetheAgreementintheformpfanexchangeofletters,
HASADOPTEDTHISREGULATION :
Article1
TheAgreementintheformofanexchangeoflettersamending
AnnexAtoProtocolNo.1totheAgreementbetweentheEuropeanEconomic
CommunityandtheSwissConfederation isherebycoucluded,approvedand
confirmedonbehalfoftheCommunity.
ThetextoftheAgreementisannexedtothisRegulation.
Artide2
ThePresidentoftheCouncilisherebyauthorizedtoappointthe
personempoweredtosigntheAgreementintheformofanexchangeofletters
referredtoinArticle1forthepurposeofbindingtheCouununity.

Article3
ThisRegulationshallenterintoforceonthadayfollowingita
publicationintheOfficialJournaloftheEuropeanC&EJminities.
ThisRegulationshallbebindinginitsentiretyanddirectlyapplicable
inallMemberStates*
DoneatBrussels, ,
FortheCouncil,
Φ
ThePresident

ANÎTkX
LetterNo.1
Brussels.
ρ
Sir,
••.•.»
Underthetransitional arrangements providedforinProtocolNo.I
tothefreetradeAgreementbetweentheEuropeanEconomicCommunityandthe
SwiBsConfederation signedon22July1972,theUnitedKingdomis
authorizedtoopensero–dutytariffquotaseaohyearforcertainproducts
fallingwithinChapter48andlistedinAnnexAtoProtocolNo.1.
Switzerlandhasrequestedthatthosequotas "bereplacedbya
singlequota.
1 *-
TheUnitedKingdomandSwissauthorities concludedfromtheir
technioaldiscussionsthatSwissexportsofChapter48productscould
becoveredbyasingletariffquota,whichwouldbeactamalgamofthe
levelsofthequotasforthepresentnineheadings.
••
Theruleconcerningthepermittedannualincreaseof5%remains
applicabletothesinglequota.
TheCommunitythereforeconsidersthat,pursuanttoArtiole1(4)
°fProtocolNo.1totheAgreementbetweentheEuropeanEconomicCommunity
andtheSwissConfederation ,thenineinitialaero–dutyquotaswhichthe
UnitedKingdomwasentitledtoopenin-respectofSwitzerlandin1974for
certainproductsfallingwithinChapter48andlistedintheUnitedkingdom
coluanofAnnexAtothesaidProtocolNo.1shouldbereplacedbyaBingle
quota.Consequently,inaccordancewiththeprovisionsofArticle1(4)
ProtocolNo.1,thequotawhichtheUnitedKingdomisentitledtoopaa
for1978isoneof tons.

Itfceoldbegratefulifyouwouldeoaftrathe««re©2Hmtofyour
uvornaanttothecontentofthisletter.
Pleaseaccept,Sip,theassurance©fayhighestconsideration.
-"*' '
FortheCounciloftheEuropeanCoaounities

Letter No.2
Brussels ,
p
Sir ,
Ihave thehonour toacknowledge receipt ofyour letter oftoday
reading asfollows s
"Under thetransitional arrangements provided forinProtocol No.1
totheFree Trade Agreement "between theEuropean Economic Community and
theSwiss Confederation signed on22July 1972 ,theUnited Kingdom is
authorized toopen zero-duty tariff quotas each year forcertain products
falling within Chapter 48andlisted inAnnex AtoProtocol No.1* .
t
Switzerland hasrequested that those quotas hereplaced "bya
single quota *
• *
TheUnited Kingdom andSwiss authorities concluded from their
technical discussions .that Swiss exports ofChapter 48products could be
covered byasingle tariff quota ,whioh would heanamalgam ofthelevels
ofthequotas forthepresent nine headings *
TheruleB concerning thepermitted annual increase of5%remains
applicable tothesingle quota *
• TheComsunity therefore considers that ,pursuant toArticle 1(4)
ofProtocol No*1totheAgreement between theEuropean .Economic Community and
theSwiss Confederation ,thenine initial zero-duty quotas which theUnited
Kingdom wasentitled toopen inrespect ofSwitzerland in1974 forcertain
products falling within Chapter 48andlisted intheUnited Kingdom column
ofAnnex Atothesaid Protocol No*1should bereplaced byasingle quota .
Consequently ,inaccordance with theprovisions ofArticle 1(4)of
I
Protocol No.1,thequota wh4ch theUnited Kingdom isentitled toopen for
1978 isoneof••*•*•••• tons *"

IhavethehonourtoconfirmthatmyGovernmentagreestothj
contentofyourletter.
Pleaseaocept,Sir.theassuranceofmyhigheetconsideration .
PortheGovernment
of