ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(76)154
Vol.1976/0045

Disclaimer
Conformément aurèglement(CEE,Euratom)n°354/83duConseildu1erfévrier1983
concernantl'ouvertureaupublicdesarchiveshistoriquesdelaCommunauté économique
européenneetdelaCommunautéeuropéennedel'énergieatomique(JOL43du15.2.1983,
p.1),telquemodifiéparlerèglement(CE,Euratom)n°1700/2003du22septembre2003
(JOL243du27.9.2003,p.1),cedossierestouvertaupublic.Lecaséchéant,lesdocuments
classifiésprésentsdanscedossierontétédéclassifiésconformément àl'article5dudit
règlement.
InaccordancewithCouncilRegulation(EEC,Euratom)No354/83of1February1983
concerningtheopeningtothepublicofthehistoricalarchivesoftheEuropeanEconomic
CommunityandtheEuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunity(OJL43,15.2.1983,p.1),as
amendedbyRegulation(EC,Euratom)No1700/2003of22September2003(OJL243,
27.9.2003,p.1),thisfileisopentothepublic.Wherenecessary,classifieddocumentsinthis
filehavebeendeclassified inconformitywithArticle5oftheaforementioned regulation.
InÜbereinstimmung mitderVerordnung(EWG,Euratom)Nr.354/83desRatesvom1.
Februar1983überdieFreigabederhistorischen ArchivederEuropäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft undderEuropäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI.L43vom15.2.1983,
S.1),geändertdurchdieVerordnung(EG,Euratom)Nr.1700/2003vom22.September2003
(ABI.L243vom27.9.2003,S.1),istdieseDateiderÖffentlichkeitzugänglich.Soweit
erforderlich,wurdendieVerschlusssachen indieserDateiinÜbereinstimmung mitArtikel5
dergenanntenVerordnungfreigegeben.

COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES
COM(76)154final.
Brussels,7April1976
COMMISSION COMMUNICATION TOTHECOUNCIL
ONTHEFIFTHINTERNATIONAL TINAGREEMENT:
RECOMMENDATION FORCOUNCILDECISIONS
ONTHESIGNINGOFTHEAGREEMENT ONBEHALFOFTHE
COMMUNITY ANDTHENOTIFICATION CONCERNING PROVISIONAL
APPLICATION OFTHEAGREEMENT.
COM(76)154final.

-1-
I.MITTRESULTSOPTHE1TEGOTIATTOTTS FORTHERENEWALOPTHEFOURTH
lîITERITATIOiTAL TINAGREEMEFT.
1.ForthepurposeofnegotiatingtherenewaloftheFourthInter­
nationalTinAgreement,duetoexpireon30June1976,UTTCTAD
organizedtheUnitedNationsTinConference,1975,whichtook
placeinGenevafrom20Mayto21June1975*
AllmembersoftheUnitedNationswereinvitedtoattend.Ona
proposalbytheChairman,theCommunity-whichisPpartytothe
FourthAgreement-wrsadmittedandinvitedtoparticipatein
theConference'sworkfromtheoutsetinfcespectofmatterswithin
itscompetence,"butwithoutvotingrights.
2.By'■decisionof20May1975»theCouncilauthorizedthe
Commissiontoconduct,onbehalfoftheCommunity,thenegotiation
oftheFifthInternational TinAgreementinmatterswithinthe
Community'scompetence.
3.Asaresultofcloseandfruitfulcollaboration withthepresi­
dencyoftheCouncil -ndwiththedelegations oftheMember
Statesandfollowingenintensiveroundofcoordination meetings,
the.Communitywasabletopresent;unitedfront-"ndspeakwith
asinglevoiceonthemajorityofthetopicscovered..
TheCommunitywasaccordinglyabletomakeanumberofproposals,
notonlyinrespectofmatterscoveredbyArticle113butalso
concerningmattersofparticularinteresttothecommonmarket
(Article116),whichservedasab'sisforthefin'ltextofthe
Agreement.
4.Thesenegotitionsculminatedinthedraftingofthetextof
theFifthInternational TinAgreement,whichwasadoptedbythe
Conferenceatitsfinalplenarymeetingon21June1975•

-2-
5«Broadlyspeaking,theFifthAgreementwillhavethespmestructure
astheFourthAgreementmdwillpursuethes?megoals.
Thenainobjectivescontinuetolie:
.toestablishcbrlrncebetweenworldproductionmdconsumption
oftin;
•topreventexcessivefluctuations inthepriceoftinmdin
exportearningfromtin;
.tomitigrtetheseriousdifficulties whichmightrrisefroma
surplusorshortageoftin;
.toensureconditionswhichwillhelptoachieveadynamicrnd
risingrateofproductionoftinonthebrsisofaremunerative
returntoproducers.
ForthePttainmentoftheseobjectives,theAgreementprovides
forthefollowinginstruments :
•abufferstock;
•Psystemoffloormdceilingprinesdertermining therange
withinwhichtheMmegerofthebufferstockcmintervene ;
.exportcontrol;
•setionintheeventofrtinshortage.
6.ThemainchangescomperedwiththetextoftheFourthAgreement
cmbegroupedtogetherincnumberofcategories :'

-3-
Questionsofprinciple
Therequestmadebyanumberofparticipating countries,inparti­
cularproducercountries,thatthetext-shouldcontainrreference
tothenewinternatiorv 1economicorderformingthesubjectof
Resolutionnr.3201(SVl)doptedbytheUnitedNationsSixth
SpecirlSessionon1Jfry1974resultedafterlonganddifficult
discussionsin•greementonthefollowingtextwhichformsparagraph
(b)ofthePreamble: -
"Theparticipatingcountries,recognizing *
:(b)Thecommunityndinterrelationship ofinterestsof,rndthe
valueofcontinuedcooperation between,producingrndconsu­
mingcountriesinordertosupportthepurposesand.principles
oftheUnitedNationsandtheUnitedITtionsConference on
Trade~ndDevelopment andtoresolveproblemsrelevantto
tinbymeansofanintern-tionrlcommodityrgreement,talcing
intorecounttherolewhichtheInternrtion 1TinAgreement
canplayintheestrblishment ofanewinternational
economicorder,. '.
haveagreedasfollows:"
Participationbyth.eCommunity
Thepositiveresultsendtheprogressachievedinthisfieldare
undeniable.Thenewwordingoftherelevantprovisionshasremoved
thel-~ckoflegalcertaintywhichexistedintheFourthAgreement
inrespectofthepositionoftheCommunityrsamemberofthe
International TinCouncil.
Theprovisionsinquestionarecontainedinthefollowingarticles:
•Article4(Participation intheCouncil)stipultesin.parser -ph
(r)th.t:•"TheCouncilsh'11becomposedofalltheparticipating
countries.";
.Article2(Definitions)includesinitsdefinitionoftheconcept
ofparticipating country"...6ranorganizationreferedtoin
article54"?
•Article54(intergovernmental organizations )iswordedasfollows
inthenewAgreement. •-

-4-
"Inter-^ovornmertrlorgrnizrtio:is"
(.-)AnyreferencetoaGovorrjnentinrticles47>4S,49»50,51 and52
shallboconstruedasincludingreferencetoanintergovern­
mentalorganizationIrvingresponsibilities inrespectofthe
negotiation ,conclusionandrpplicationofinternrtion .1agreements
inparticularcommodityagreements,
(b)Suchanorganizationshellnotitselfholdanyvotes,butinthe
■caseofvotesonmatterswithinitscompetence,itshallbe
entitledtocastthevotesofitsmemberstatesandshrllcas•
themcollectively .Insuchcases,thememberStatesoftheorga­
nizationinquestionshallnotbeentitledtoexercisetheir
individualvotingrights".-
Financingofthebufferstock
Thefinancingofthebufferstockconstitutedthecrucialproblemin
thenegotiations ,whichcentredontheequalparticipation ofthe
producerandBonsumercountries.
Acompromisesolutionwasreachedvhichprovidesfor':
themaintenanceofthesystemofcompulsorycontributions fromthe
producercountriesamountingtotheequivalentof20.000tonnesof
tinmetal(article21);
theintroduction ofasystemofadditionalcontributions fromthe
consumercountriesuptoan;ddition'lamountequivalentto20000
tonnesoftinmetal(article22);
thepossibilitybeingopentotheCouncil-inthecaseoffinancing
byborrowing-todecide"thatparticipating non-contributing .countries
mrycontributetowardsthesecharges",(article24).However,the
samearticleprovidesthat:"Noobligationsh11belaidupon"any
participating countrytinderthisarticlewithouttheconsentoftrht
country.".
« r
Despitethefactthattheaddition -1contributions fromtheconsumer
countries'revoluntary,provisionhasbeenmadeforthepossibility
<frenegotiating theAgreementshoulditbeconsideredthatthe
additionalcontribulions receivedarenotsignificant comparedwith
thecompulsorycontributions .Therelevanttext(article22(d))
readsasfollows:

"(d)Attheexpirrtionof30calendermonths ,'ftertheentryintoforco
ofthisAgreement,theCouncilshell-reviewtheresultsobtained
asregardstheaddition--1contributionsreferredtoinparagraphs
(£)"nd(b)ofthisrrticleantitmydecidethat■.negotiating
conferenceistobeconvenedwithinsixmonthsofthedateofthe
Council'sdecisioninorderwhollyorpartlytoamendthis
AgreementbyaProtocolorotherappropriateinternational
instrument.Ifsuchadecision ,isreached,theCouncilshellrequest
theSecretary-General oftheUnitedNationstoconvenesucha
negotiating conference."
»
Itshouldbenotedthat"ftercontactswiththeIntern -tione1Monetary
FundandtheWorld.Bankendfollowingrnexamination-crrriedouton
eproposalfromtheCommunity-ofthemeritsendpossibilities ofa
systemoffinencingbylevyaparagraph(e)wes;ddedtoarticle9
(Statisticsendstudies)whichstipul-'testhattheCouncil:"shall,
m-keestudyof.alternative memstosupplementorreplaceexisting
methodsoffinancingthebufferstock."
Actionintheeventofatinshortage
InordertoensureabetterbalancewithintheAgreementbetweenpro­
tectionoftheproducercountries"interestsejidthoseoftheconsumer
countries,endinparticularbetweentheprovisionsconcerningexport ,
controlandthoserelatingto'ctionintheeventofatinshortage.,
theletterprovisionsweremadesomewhatstrongerthroughtheaddition
ofthefollowingtwop-regraphstoArticle40:
"{e)TheCouncilmeyby?two-thirdsdistributedmajorityinvitethe
participating countriestoenterintosuchrrrangements withits
meyessureconsumingcountriesenequitabledistribution ofthe
availablesuppliesoftin.
■(f)TheCouncilm*ym"kerecommendations toproducingcountrieson
epproprietemeasures,notinconsistent withotherintern-tion 1
agreementsontrsde,toensurethat,intheeventofashortege,prefe­
renceasregardsthesupplyoftinavailablesh"llbegiventoopnsuning
countrieswhichparticipateinthisAgreement".

...c'nir.istiT.tive ornroceduralquestions
Inrdditiontothem'inchangesdescribedabove,there?realsoa1rge
numberofchangesoflesserimportance.Thesepremainlydraftingchanges
orchangesdesignedtogrouptogethermorelogically ;rticlesrnd
prrfgrrphsofanadministrative orproceduralnature.
Theseinclude:
article8(ProceduresoftheCouncil),
article9(Statistics?ndstudies)., ,
rrticle10(ExecutiveChairmenrndVice-Chrirmen oftheCouncil),
article12(ThesteffoftheCouncil),
article13(Percent^gesandvotes),etc.
Thiscategoryalsoincludesarticle19(Thebudget)inxvhichthe
principlewherebytheadministrative costswerebornebytheproducer
endconsumercountrygroupson?50-50b°sishasbeenreplacedbya
systemwhichdistinguishes solelybetweenparticipants with20votes
orless^ndthosewith21votesormore.Theformercontribute3%oof
thebudget,thelatter1tomakeuptheportionofthebudgetnot
coveredbytheabovepayments,e-chprticipajitpaysonetwothousandth
oftheadditional amountrequiredforeachvoteheld.
Underthisnewsystem,theCommunityasanintergovernmental organizrtion
-treatedasaparticipant countrybutnotholdingrnyvotingrights-•
coulbbecalledupontopayrcontribution amountingto3%oofthe•
administrative budget.Forthe1975/76finrncialye"r,thiscontri­
butionwouldbe£pproximrtely£1000.
Thevoluntarycontribution of£2000providedforintheCommission's
Budgetforthe1976financialyear(Article444)wouldthereforecover
anysuchcompulsorycontribution .•■■■.

-7-
II.PARTICIPATION BYTHECOMHUITITY AMDTHEMEMBERSTATESHTTHEFIFTH
AGREEMENT ~
TheFifthAgreementisopenforsign-tureuntil30April1976inclusive,
subjecttoratification ,rpprovrlor"ccept-neebythesignrtories
(article47;nd.48).
TheAgreementwillenterintoforcedefinitively essoonrfter30June
1975.-^instrumentsofratification ,-pprovrlor'cceptrneehavebeen
depositedbysixproducingcountriesholdingtogetherrtleast'950votes
andnineconsumingcountriesholdingtogetherrtleast300votes
(article49)•
Article50l"ysdownth?tiftheAgreementhrsnotenteredintoforce
definitively by1July1976(or,iftheFourthAgreementisextended,
bythedayfollowingtheterminationofthrtAgreement),theAgreement
shellthenenterintoforceprovisionally forGovernments whichh"ve
depositedinstruments ofratification ,epprovrl,acceptanceorrecession,
ornotifications ofintentiontodoso,ifsuchinstruments ornotifi–•
crtionsh'vebeendepositedbysixproducingcountriesholdingtogether
rtleast950Votes"ndnineconsumingcountriesholdingtogetherft
least300votes\
Asregrrdsthequestionofp.-rticiptionbytheCommunity'nditsMember
StatesintheFifthAgreement,thereereanumberofreasonswhichmili­
tateinff.vourofparticip-'tion.
-The'resultsofthenegotitionscanbeconsideredsrtisf-ctoryinth<t
:betterbalncehasbeenechievedintheFifthAgreementbetweenthe
interestsoftheproducerendconsumercountries,both"Sregardsthe
instruments andtheoperationoftheAgreement;
-TheCommunityhasst*tesonmnyoccasionsininterntionalforuns\
thrtitsupportstheprincipleofthe6onclusionofinternational
agreements oncertaincommodities .
1Itshouldalsobenotedthatrrticle50(b)providesthrt:"Ifwithin
sixmonthsaftertheterminrtion oftheFourthAgreement,this
Agreementh'senteredintoforceprovisionllybutnotdefinitively
slaiddovmin•'rticle49»theExecutiveChairmansh~llassoons
possibleconveneasessionorsessionsoftheCounciltoconsiderthe
position.Ifhowever,theentryintoforceremainsprovision1,this
Agreementsh'11beterminatednotl'terthenoneyerfterthe
privision1entryintoforce.

-δ-
Inthi3spirit,theCommunityisalreadya.partytotheFourth
Agreement.Thisisparticularly important •tthepresenttine,since .
1976willbemarkedbythefourthsessionofU1TCTADand,bythework
oftheConferenceonInternatioiv 1EconomicCooperation ;
-ShefretthrttheAgreementcontainsanumberofprovisionsfalling
withinthescopeofthecommoncommercialpolicy(article113of.the
EECTreaty)isafurtherreasonwhytheCommunityshouldparticipate
alongsideitsMemberStates,which,sincetheyarerlrerdypartiesto
theFourthAgreement,shouldalsoparticipateintheFifthAgreement.
Onthebasisoftheseconsiderations ,theCommissionconsidersthat•
provisionshouldbemadeforparticipation byelltheMemberStatesend
theCommunityassuchintheFifthInternational TinAgreement.As
regardsthearrangements forbringingthiscbout,theCommissionproposes
that:
(a)theCommunity,'ndthoseMemberStateswhichhavenotalreadydoneso,
signtheAgreementbefore30April1975;
(b)theMemberStatesdepositbefore1July197&eithertheirinstruments
ofratification ,approvaloracceptance,ornotifications oftheir
intentiontoratify,■pproveoraccepttheAgreement;
(c)theCommunity,ontheassumptionthattheAgreementwillnotenter
intoforcedefinitively on1July197S,depositbeforethatd"tethe
notification ofitsintentiontoapprovetheAgreement,sothatthe
Agreementcanbeprovisionrlly appliedbytheCommunityinaccordance
withArticle50.

The Commission therefore recommends thrt the Council :
decide thrt theFifth Intern?tionrl TinAgreement will "besigned essoon
pspossible before 30April 1976 onbehalf oftheEuropean Economic
Community ,subject toconclusion oftheAgreement ;•
decide ,onthebasis ofthetext ennexed hereto ,thf.t theCommunity -
will deposit with theSecretary-General oftheUnited Utions before
1July 1975 thenotification ofitsintention toapprove theAgreement ,
soastobeable torpply itprovisionrlly when itenters into force
inaccordance with Article 50.
Thetext oftheAgreement will beannexed totheDecision ,which will
bet>ublished j.ntheOfficirl Journal oftheEuropean Communities ,

-10--
RECOMMENDATION FORACOUNCIL DECISION
•/ -
onthenotification oftheintention oftheEuropean Economic Community to
accept theFifth International TinAgreement
TpCOUNCIL OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard totheTreaty establishing theEuropean Economic Community ,
andinparticular Article 113thereof ,
Having regard totherecommendation from theCommission ,
Whereas theCommunity isaparty totheFourth International TinAgreement ;
Whereas theCouncil hasdecided tosign theFifth International Tin .
Agreement onbehalf oftheCommunity before 30April 1976 ,subject tothe
conclusion oftheAgreement ;
Whereas -theCommunity should give notification ofitsintention to'approve
theAgreement soastobeable toapply itprovisionally pending thecompletion
oftheinternal procedures necessary fortheconclusion thereof ,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION :
Sole Article
1.Inaccordance with Article 48oftheFifth International TinAgreement ,
theEuropean Economic Community shall deposit with theSecretary-General
oftheUnited Nations Organisation before 1July 1976 thenotification
annexed tothis Decision stating that theCommunity intends toapprove
theAgreement andthat theCommunity will consider itself provisionally
&party tothoAgreement when itenters into foroe provisionally in
accordance with Article 5^o
Thetext oftheAgreement isannexed tothis Decision .
2.ThePresident oftheCouncil shall beauthorized todesignate theperson
empowered todeposit this notification with theSecretary-General ofthe
United Nations Organisation .
Thedate onwhich theAgreement shall enter into force provisionally will
bepublished intheOfficial Journal oftheEuropean Communities .

ϊΟΤΓΓΙΟΙΤΙΟ'ί
ofintention toapprove theFifth Internet ion ;1TinAgreement .
Itwill notbepossible fortheEuropean Economic Community tocomplete
theinstitutional procedures referred toinArticle 48oftheAgreement
before 1July 1976 *
TheCommunity istherefore depositing this notification ofitsintention
toapprove theAgreement inaccordance with thesaid article .
Indepositing this notification ,theCommunity will consider itself
provisionally Pp?rty totheAgreement ,with ?11therights rndobli­
gations erising therefrom ,when itenters into force provisionally in
-'ccord~nce with Article 50 pnduntil such time PS 'the Council ofthe
European Communities shall ndopt adefinitive *decision inthomatter .

ITote explicative sur les incidences financières
delaproposition sur lebudget desCommunautés
Européennes
Sur case dunouveau système ,réglant lescontributions subudget
administratif ,adopte *pour leVerne Accord ,laCommunauté et,tant
qu'Organisation intergouvemementale -assimilée àunpays par­
ticipant mais nedétenant paselle-même devoix ,pourrait 5tre
appelée àverser unecontribution égale àyfjodubudget administra­
tif :àtitre indicatif cette contribution pour l'exercice
3*élèverait àunmontant d'environ £1.000 ,-.
Lacotisation volontaire de£2.000 ,-prévue aubudget dela
Commission pour l'cxcrcice 1976 (poste 444)couvrirait parcon­
séquent unetelle cotisation obligatoire . ,

"\
-HI-C-1
FICHEFINANCIERE SUCCINCTE
*'fc'.concernant <T
le"projetdecommunication delaCommissionauConseil
relativeauVèmeAccordInternational surl'Etain"
1.Lignebudgétaireconcernée 'Art.444
2.Intituledel'action Application del'accordInternational surl'Etain
I3»Basejuridique Art.113TraitéCEE
4.Objectif(s)del'action
r
iAssurerlaparticipation delaConminaute
aubudgetadministratif duCinquième
AccordInternational surl'Etain
5.Incidencefinancièredel'action
• i5.1LaCommunautéestsusceptibled'etre
appeléeàcontribuerobligatoirement
0t3<j&'aubudgetadministratif .Cette
contribution pourraitêtreestiméeà
environ£1000à£1.500(2.400à
3.600U.C.)pourl'exercice76/77
5.2Unedépenseobligatoireanalogueeet
prévisiblepourles4exercices
suivants'
6.Financement
tCréditde4.800U.C.estprévuàl'art.444
dubudget1976*
i "