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Vol. 1983/00 21 
  
 
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Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the openi ng to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this f ile is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 198 3 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 243 vom 27 .9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(85) 55 final  
Brussels, 8 February 1983
FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL
on the possible inclusion of plywood in the list of products  
covered by the system for the stabilization of export earnings
(Stabex)
COM(83) 55 final

Report by the Commission on the possible inclusion 
of plywood in the list of products covered by the system for 
the stabilization of export earnings (Stabex)
1. In a le tte r  dated 1  October 1981, the A C P  Co-Chairman of the Stabex 
Subcommittee requested th a t plywood be included in the l i s t  of products 
covered by Stabex, and in d icate d  th a t th is  product played a  s ig n ific a n t 
part in the economy of the Gabonese Republic.
Since no proper s t a t is t ic s  accompanied the request, the governments of the 
A C P  States were ca lle d  upon to supply some fig u re s , and although the data 
provided proved ra ther disparate and even incom plete, the Commission is now 
able to adopt a  p o s itio n  on the possible in c lu s io n  of th is  product among 
those covered by Stabex.
2. Apart from Gabon, the A C P  States which could b e n e fit from its  inclusion 
are mainly Cameroon, Congo and Ivory Coast. It should be pointed out 
immediately th a t, in the case of these four sta te s , exports of plywood do 
not by any means exceed the dependence th re sh o ld , which fo r these countries 
is  6.5%, since they are not among the least developed. The rates vary 
between 0.20% and 2.40% (see the A C P S tates' s ta tis tic s  as set out in the 
Annex) .
The in c lu s io n  of th is  product would th e re fo re  have only a  lim ite d  e ffe ct 
since i t  would not be p ossible  to  request compensation from the system fo r 
plywood alone. Unless these states step up th e ir exports of plywood very 
considerably and th is  seems u n lik e ly  in the foreseeable fu tu re  the only 
e ffe c t of it s  in c lu s io n  would be to  raise the amount of the tra n sfe rs made 
fo r tim ber products already on the l i s t  (wood in the rough, squared or 
half-squared wood, and sawn wood) .
Whereas the Second Lomé Convention provides fo r the in c lu s io n , under certain 
c o n d itio n s , o f fu rth e r products, i t  makes no p ro visio n  fo r amending 
A rtic le  2 5 (3 )(b ), which lays down the groups of products in the case of a  
"b lo c k " request. The Commission's Legal Service was consulted about th is  
and considers th a t although there is no p ro v is io n  fo r such an amendment 
i t  is f u lly  in  accordance w ith the s p ir it  of the Convention, and is covered 
by A r tic le  26 concerning the in lc u s io n  of fu rth e r products. I t  is d if f i c u l t  
to  see the p o in t of in c lu d in g  a sub-product in the l i s t  unless i t  could be 
bracketed w ith products belonging to  the same group.
3. The cost o f the in c lu s io n  of plywood cannot be accurately estimated in 
fig u re s . As stated under 2, plywood could be taken in to  consideration

fo r a  possible tra n s fe r only as a sub-product in  the "wood products" group, 
which would then comprise wood in the rough, squared or half-squared wood, 
sawn wood and plywood. A  look at im ports of plywood from the A C P  States 
concerned (see Annex: Community s t a t is t ic s )  does, however, suggest orders
of magnitude fo r reference le ve ls and random flu c tu a tio n s , although i t  
should be borne in mind th a t, as p art of the wood products group, these 
im ports would have the e ffe c t of e ith e r increasing or reducing the f in a l 
tra n s fe r .
There is  an economic argument in favour of in c lu d in g  plywood :  those
responsible fo r marketing i t  in  the A C P States concerned claim  th a t it s  
a d d itio n  to the l i s t  would enable logs to  be taken in to  account which are 
not exportable in th a t form .
The c r it e r ia  which are la id  down in  A r tic le  26 of the Second Lomé 
Convention fo r considering the in c lu s io n  of new products are as fo llo w s  ;
( i)  the economies of the A C P  States concerned should depend to  a  
considerable extent on these products : i f  the rates o f
dependence are examined, i t  w ill be seen th a t plywood does not 
q u a lify  here (see p o in t 2 );
( i i )  the products in question should be a ffe c te d  by sharp
flu c tu a tio n s  :  a  look at im ports of plywood in to  the Community
(see Annex: Community s t a t is t ic s )  reveals th a t Ivory Coast's
exports to the Community have been c o n sta n tly d e c lin in g , to  the 
p oint of being n e g lig ib le  in 1981. Im ports from Congo are at 
such a  low level th a t they provide no s ig n ific a n t in d ic a tio n  as 
to p ossible flu c tu a tio n s . As fo r the other two c o u n trie s ,
Cameroon and Gabon, the fo llo w in g  trends emerge :
1. q u a n titie s : downward tre nd  follo w ed  by an upward
trend fo r Cameroon; flu c tu a tin g  between 15 000 and 
27 000 t fo r Gabon;
2. u n it values: d is tin c t upward tre n d ;
3. earnings: general upward tre n d .
The f i r s t  co n d itio n  is  th e re fo re  not f u l f i l l e d .  N either is the second, 
except in the case of the q u a n titie s  fo r Gabon.

-  3 -
Given present production and marketing s tru ctu re s the in clu sio n  of plywood 
also raises a s p e c ific  problem, and th is  should be taken in to  consideration. 
Production of plywood is o fte n  c o n tro lle d  by a  very small number of firm s 
which, in a d d itio n , have th e ir decision-m aking centres outside the A C P  
c o u n trie s . In such cases, Stabex cover could e n ta il the danger of a  p o licy 
o f a r t i f i c i a l l y  low p rice s which would be d i f f i c u l t  to  c o n tro l.
6. The question of the in c lu s io n  of plywood ought to  be examined on the basis 
o f the o v e ra ll re s u lts  of the f i r s t  two years covered by the Second Lom é 
Convention (1980 and 1981). Is i t  advisable to  go on adding products to 
the l i s t ,  and consequently ra is in g  the Community's le ve l of commitment 
higher and h ig he r, at a  time when the sum o f the requests fo r tra n s fe rs  
exceeds the a va ila b le  resources?
The Commission, which adm inisters the system, does not consider i t  wise to 
take on fu rth e r commitments fo r products upon which the economies of the 
A C P States do not v it a lly  depend when funds are short and the trend of 
p ric e s  fo r c e rta in  major commodities is s t i l l  g ivin g  cause fo r alarm.
7. By way of conclusion, the Commission proposes, on the basis of the arguments 
set out in  5  and 6 above, th a t the A C P  S tates' request fo r the in clu sio n  of 
plywood in  the l i s t  of products covered by the system fo r the s ta b iliz a tio n  
o f export earnings should not be granted.

Annex
COM MUNITY STATISTICS
Community im ports of plywood (Nimexe 44.15-20 to  80) o rig in a tin g  in  
Cameroon, Congo Ivory Coast and Gabon.
Q u a n titie s Values Unit values
(tonnes) (1 000 E C U  c if )  (ECU/tonne)
1  . Ivory Coast 1976 3 281 1  886 575
1977 2 889 2 066 715
1978 1  582 950 601
1979 1  217 798 656
1980 689 470 682
1981 467 385 824
2. Cameroon 1976 4 888 2 336 478
1977 3 329 1  718 516
1978 3 152 2 077 659
1979 2 769 2 061 744
1980 4 005 3 028 756
1981 3 805 3 069 808
3. Gabon 1976 21 825 13 561 621
1977 15 657 10 730 685
1978 ' 22 660 14 811 654
1979 27 649 18 644 674
1980 18 874 16 012 848
1981 23 043 19 159 831
4. Conqo 1976 168 84 500
1977 28 18 643
1978 71 49 690
1979 424 276 651
1980 710 527 742
1981 156 144 923

Annex
1 -  Information supplied by the United Republic of Cameroon
Exports of plywood, in tonnes
1978 3694
1979 3905
1980 5347
1981 1 1794
Dependence on exports of plywood (as a %  of the to ta l value)
1978 0.31%
1979 0.32%
1980 0.39%
1981 0.41%
\

Annex
2. Inform ation supplied by the P eople's Republic o f the Congo
Total exports 
( C FAF '000)Exports o f plywood 
(CFAF '000)Dependence
(%)
1979
1980
1981108 333 000 
202 591 000 
not a v a ila b le2 602 083 
4 313 038 
not a v a ila b le2.40 
2 .13
P roduction o f plywood (m3)
1979
1980
1981not a v a ila b le
4 045 
3 004
9

Annex
3. Inform ation supplied by the Republic o f the Ivory Coast 
1  . Product ion
The o f f ic i a l s t a t is t ic s  issued by Ivory Coast's M in is try  of Forestry 
do not include the production of plywodd. The fig u re s below come from 
an estim ate by the tim ber producers' trade o rg a n iza tio n .
Production of plywood (m3) 1979 1980 1981
41 745 47 889 45 612
Four firm s produce plywood in  Ivory Coast. About a  quarter of the 
output is exported, mainly to Senegal and N ig e ria , which account fo r 
over h a lf the foreign  sa le s. For two years the domestic market has 
been badly h it by problems in the b u ild in g  trade ( a c tiv ity  has declined 
by 25%).
2. Exports
Exports of plywood account fo r only a  small share of to ta l timber 
sales, la rg e ly  dominated by trade in logs.
The fo llo w in g  tab le  contains the customs s ta t is t ic s  fo r exports of 
plywood, logs and a ll products sold by Ivory Coast.
Year Plywood Logs A ll products 
sold by 
Ivory CoastPlywood as 
percentage 
of to ta l 
exports
Volume
(m^)Value in C FA F 
mi liio n sValue in C F A F  
m illio n sValue in  C F A F  
mi liio n s
1978 19 456 1  689.7 52 878 524 382 0.3%
1979 14 929 1  305 .8 67 589 534 847 0.2%
1980 16 210 1  856.8 not known 580 312 0.3%
1981 19 397 2  743.6 73 755 689 298 0.4%
1982 (1)
_ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I9 
231 1  341 .3
_____________________39
 440 ~ -
(1) 6 months
With regard to  the d e s tin a tio n  of plywood exports, the E E C  accounted on 
average fo r 17%  of exports in volume terms over the last three years; 
Senegal and N igeria absorbed over h a lf Ivory Coast's sales.

Annex
4 . Inform ation supplied by the Gabonese Republic
Production (in  m3)
1979 : 71 200
1980 : 72 829
1981 : 70 523
Export s (1980)
Q u a n titie s (tonnes) Value (CFAF millio n s
France 20 259 4876
F R G 2419613
BLEU 317109
Netherlands 2973753
Ita ly 516179
United Kingdom 12436
Denmark 339
Total E E C 26 641 6575
Total fo r a ll d e s tin a tio n s 41 682 10019
Dependence
1  .84% (1980)