CELEX: 51981PC0122
Language: en
Date: 1981-03-23 00:00:00
Title: Recommendation for a COUNCIL DECISION concerning negotiations under Article XXIV(6) of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade#Draft Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of Member States of the ECSC meeting in Council regarding the opening of tariff negotiations under Article XXIV (6) of GATT (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (81) 122
Vol. 1981/0033
 ---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
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
règlement.
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
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243,
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file 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 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.
 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                    COM(81 ) 122 final
                                                    Brussels , 23 March 1981
                        Recommendation for a
                    -     COUNCIL DECISION
concerning negotiations under Article XXIV(6 ) of the General Agreement
                                                  *
                        on Tariffs and Trade
                           Draft Decision
            of the Representatives of the Governments
                    of Member States of the ECSC
              meeting in Council regarding the opening
            of tariff negotiations under Article XXIV
                              of GATT
                                                             ■=
                                                                   V" \
                                                         < :  a -a  . M
                                                         •.j ~ .4 / dΙ
                                                          Z        H
                                                          co - ^
           ( submitted to the Council by the Comm
C0MC81 ) 122 final
 ---pagebreak---                                EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
 1.            On joining the European Communities Greece was required to adopt
the Common Customs Tariff and other common rules and regulations , notably
 concerning agriculture .     Some of the obligations towards non-Community
countries under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade ( GATT ) which
Greece can no longer fulfil have been replaced by fresh obligations con-'
tracted by the European Communities as a result of Greece 's Accession .
                                            /
2.            vThe GATT Contracting Parties are carrying out a detailed review
to see that Greece 's accession has not , contravened GATT Article XXIV(5)(a ),
which provid'es that :      .      .
       " with respect to a customs union , or an interim agreement leading
      to the formation of a customs union , the duties and other regu­
       lations of commerce imposed at the institution of any. such union
      or interim agreement in respect of trade with contracting parties
       not parties to such union or agreement shall not on the whole be
       higher or more restrictive than the general incidence of the duties
                          \            -v -
      and regulations of commerce applicable in the constituent terri­
       tories prior to the formation of such union or the adoption of such      .
       interim agreement , as the case may be
A preliminary balance sheet drawn up by the Commission " indicates that all
the conditions set out in the article are fulfilled .
3.     Article XXIVC63 of the General Agreement stipulates that :
    4
         If , in fulfilling the requirements of sub-paragraph 5(a ), a
       contracting party proposes to increase any rate of duty incon­
       sistently with the provisions of Article II , the procedure set
       forth in Article XXVIII shall apply ."      ; : • * :
This means that the Community must unbind Schedule XXV of Greek concessions
and make any other changes required in negotiations under Article XXIV .
 ---pagebreak---                                       - 3 -
4.  Renegotiations weld be on a smaller scale than the ones which took
place at the time of the first enlargement , since Greece 's external trade
i« not so great as that of the three new Members of 1973 "taken together .
On the whole , the incidence of this second enlargement on the GATT Con­
tracting Parties is clearly positive .      But although it is thus in a credit
position , the enlarged Community must fulfil its obligations under
Article XXE V( 6 ) which deals with the bilateral effects of enlargement .
5.  In order that it may open the necessary negotiations , the Commission
hereby recommends that the Council adopt a decision under Article 113 of
the Treaty of Rome authorizing the Commission to enter into negotiations
under Article XXIV(6 ) of GATT .   ( Annex 1 )
6.  The Commission recommends likewise the adoption of a decision by the
Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European
                    %
Coal and Steel Community , meeting in Council , witn a view to authorizing
the opening of negotiations in the name of the Member States on the pro­
ducts covered by the European Coal and Steel Community ( Annex II ).
                            Τ  ι
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 4 -
                     -  '                                   ANNEX I
                            1                     r
                   RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
        concerning negotiations under Article XXIV(6 ) of the General
                    .  Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
The Council of 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 following the enlargement of the Community the Hellenic Republic 's
tariff concessions have to be renegotiated in accordance with
Article XXIV(6 ) of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade ,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :
                                 Sole Article
The Commission is hereby authorized to enter into negotiations -under
Article XXIV(6 ) of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade .
The Commission shall conduct the negotiations in consultation with the
Special Committee provided for in Article 113 of "the Treaty, which will
assist it in its task .
                                       Done at Brussels , ,
                                       For the Council ,
                                       The President
 ---pagebreak---                                                             ANNEX II
                               Drart Décision
                 of the Representatives of the Governments
                         cf Member States of the EGSC
                   meeting in Council regarding the opening
                 of tariff negotiations under Article XXIV:6
                                   of GATT
The Representatives cf the Governments of the Member States of the
European Coal and Steel Community meeting in Council ,
Having taken note of the communication of the Commission ,
WHEREAS , following the enlargement of the Communities , according to the
provisions of Article XXIV, paragraph 6 of the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade , the tariff concessions of the Hellenic Republic have to
be subject to renegotiation
HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :
1.  The Commission is requested to enter into negotiations under
    Article XXIV : 6 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in
    respect of products covered by the European Coal and Steel Community .
2.  The Commission will undertake these negotiations with the assistance
    of representatives of Member States .