CELEX: 51973PC1143
Language: en
Date: 1973-07-06 00:00:00
Title: RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION on participation in the negotiations to conclude a multilateral arrangement regarding trade in textiles of cotton, wool and man-made fibres, and to extend the Long-Term Arrangement regarding International Trade in Cotton Textiles (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (73) 1143
Vol. 1973/0205
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément 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
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p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003
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In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as
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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 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION O? THE. .EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                            COM(73)1143 final
                                                            Brussels , 6 July 1973
                       RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION.
       on participation in the negotiations to conclude a multilateral
          arrangement regarding trade in textiles of cotton , wool and
            man-made fibres T and to extend the Long-Term Arrangement
                regarding International Trade in Cotton Textiles
                  ( submitted to the Council "by the Commission)
  COM(73 ) 1143 final
 ---pagebreak---                             EXPLANATORY MMORA1TDUM
         It is nearly two years since discussions "began in GATT on the problems
arising from the international trade in textiles and textile     goods of cotton ,
wool and man-made fibres . A Working Party , set up within GATT et the end of
June 1972 , has just submitted the results of its work to the GATT Council ,
with a view to concluding a multilateral arrangement regarding trade in
these products .
         In order to enable the GATT Council to start negotiations to conclude
a multilateral arrangement at its session at the end of July , and therefore
well in advance of the GATT session in Tokyo , the Conmunity must be in a
position to agree on that occasion to the opening of the contemplated nego­
tiations and to take part therein .
        To this end , the Commission hereby presents to the Council the annexed
Recommendation for a Decision .
        In this connection it must be pointed out that :
1 . The negotiations will be based on the document^ embodying the report
    drawn up for the GATT Council by the Working Party on Trade in Textiles ,
    entitled "Points to be taken into consideration in seeking possible solu­
    tions to the problems arising in the international textile trade ".
    This report , which covers nearly all the points likely to bo put forward
    in the process of drawing up the text of an agreement , often includes al­
    ternatives ( in parentheses ) representing the differing approaches of the
    contracting parties to the solutions envisaged . A great many of these
    divergences are of a purely textual or legal nature , and should thus
    automatically disappear during the negotiation of the text of an Agreement .
                                                                           ./.
      Doc . TEX/fy/29 revised .
 ---pagebreak---                                        - 2 -
    However , in a relatively limited number of cases these different texts
    reflect profound differences of opinion , in regard to which the Council
    of Ministers will be called upon to define its position .
    However , in view of the extremely short time between now and the end of
    July , the directives annexed to the Recommendation for a Decision are ,
    for the present , confined to the general line emerging from the prepara­
    tory work and reflected in the basio GATT document , while proposing that
    the Council reserve the right to draw up directives on certain specifio
    problems subsequently and in sufficient time to enable the negotiations
    to be concluded not later than 31 December 1973 *
2 . Since , the Long-Term Arrangement regarding International Trade in Cotton
    Textiles expires on 30 September 1973 » a short extension (until 31 December
    1973) of this arrangement , without amendments , has been contemplated
    within GATT to enable the negotiations aimed at a multifibre arrangement
    to be concluded meanwhile .
    To this end , the Recommendation from the Commission to the Council pro- '
    vides that the Commission be authorized to take part in the negotiations
    on the renewal of the LTA in its present form and for the period mentioned.
    These negotiations , which will take place within the Cotton Textile Com­
    mittee , should also be held before the end of next July .
3 . Some of the bilateral agreements on the cotton textile trade concluded by
    the Community with non-member countries under Article 4 of the LTA e:q?ire
    on 30 September next . In view of the contemplated extension of the Long-.
    Term Arrangement (until 31 December 1973 ) » provision should be made for
    these agreements to be extended until the same date . This matter is also
    dealt with in the Recommendation for a Decision (Article 3 )*
    _____                                                                   •/.
    * These are agreements concluded by the Community with India, Pakistan,
      Egypt , Japan and Taiwan . ( The agreement with Taiwan , which expires on
      30 September , will be replaced by an identical unilateral settlement ).
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 3 -
                                       *
                                *          *
       For "the reasons of urgency already mentioned , "the Commission hereby
presents the annexed Recommendation for a Decision to the Council and requests
that it be referred to the latter for a Decision at its meeting on 23/24
July 1973 .
 ---pagebreak---                       EEC OMENDATI OH FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
            on participation in the negotiations to conclude a
            multilateral arrangement regarding trade in textiles
            of cotton , wool and man-made fibres , and to extend the
            Long-Term Arrangement regarding International Trade in
                                   Cotton Textiles
THE COUNCIL OP THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
and in particular Article 113 thereof ;
Having regard to the recommendation from the Commission ;
Whereas , a3 a result of the work carried out by the GATT Working Party on
Trade in Textiles , negotiations should open shortly between the parties
represented on that Working Party in order to reach by 31 December 1973
a multilateral arrangement regarding the international trade in textiles
and textile goods of cotton , wool and man-made fibres ;
Whereas the Long-Term Arrangement regarding International Trade in Cotton
Textiles , which entered into force on 1 October 1972 , expires on 30 Sep­
tember 1973 ;
Whereas negotiations are to ,be opened within the Cotton Textile Committee
with a . view to a , short renewal . of this arrangement ;
Whereas it is in the Community 's interest to take part in these negotiations
                                                                          /■
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 2 -
Wnereas the Community has concluded agreements on trade in cotton textiles
with non-Hmember countries in the framework of the abovementioned Long-Term
Arrangement ; whereas some of these agreements expire on 30 September 1973 j
whereas the provisions of these agreements should be maintained in force
until the date to which the Long-Term Arrangement is extended , but not
later than 31 December ;
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS ;
                                 Article 1
       The Commission is hereby authorized to take part in the negotiations
to conclude a multilateral arrangement regarding the international trade in
textiles and textile goods of cotton , wool and man-made fibres , in accor­
dance with the directives annexed hereto .
                                 Article 2
     ^ The Commission is hereby authorized to take part m the negotiations
on the renewal of the Long-Term Arrangement regarding International Trade
in Cotton Textiles .
                                 Article 3
       The Commission is hereby authorized to negotiate , with those non-
member countries with which the Community has concluded agreements on trade
in cotton textiles which are due to expire on 30 September 1973 » "the main­
tenance in force until 31 December 1973 of the provisions of such agreements .
                                 Article 4
       In the conduct of these negotiations the Commission shall be assisted
by the special committee provided for in Article 113 of the Treaty .
Done at Brussels ,
                                            For the Council
                                            The President
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 ÂN1IEX
                          Negotiating Directives
        Conclusion of a multilateral arrangement regarding international
trade in textiles on the "basis of GATT document TEX/.'l/29 revised , the
report drawn up for the GATT Council by the Working Party on Trade in
Textiles .
        The Council reserves the right to draw up , where necessary , specific
directives on this subject in order to enable the negotiations to be concluded
not la,ter than 31 December 1973 *