CELEX: 51973PC2099
Language: en
Date: 1973-12-17 00:00:00
Title: RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION authorising the Commission to enter into negotiations, on behalf of the Community, with the People's Republic of Bangladesh with a view to concluding an Agreement with that country on trade in handicraft products. (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
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DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (73) 2099
Vol. 1973/0377
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 ---pagebreak---                                                            COM(73 ) 2099 final
                                                           Brussels , 17 December 1973
                     RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL INCISION
           authorising the Commission to enter into negotiations ,
            on "behalf of the Community, with the People 's Republic
          v of Bangladesh with a view to concluding an Agreement
              with that country on trade in handicraft products .
                  (submitted to the Council by the Commission)
CCM(73 ) 2099 final
 ---pagebreak---                                EXPLANATORY miORDAlTOtM
                               –i–MtmD», – ia«a––»■–»«–
 1.     As it undertook to do in 1967 , at the GATT multilateral negotiations ,
the Community opened an autonomous , duty-free quota , of general application ,
for handicraft products . This quota is for 5 million u.a. with a maximum of
0,5 million u.a . per tariff item .
        Exemption from import duties is ; subject however , to production to the
Community customs authorities of a certificate issued by the recognised
authorities of the beneficiary country, attesting that the products in
question are' handmade .
        India and Pakistan were the first countries to take advantage of this
tariff quota . In 19^9 and 1970 "the Community concluded two separate Agree­
ments with these countries specifying the conditions of application of the
exemption from duties and listing the products covered .
2.      The Council approved the texts of two supplementary Agreements , one
with India , the other with Pakistan (Decision of July 1970 ) and the text of
an Agreement with Uruguay ( Decision of Ocotber 1973 ) adding a number of other
products to the list covered by the original Agreements . As a result about
31 tariff headings       currently enjoy exemption duty-free on importation
into the Community ( see Annex III ).
3.      The Philippines , Thailand , Indonesia, Iran and Ce7ion , having provi­
ded the required assurances , were also admitted to this tariff quota in
1972 . In May 1971 they concluded separate Agreements with the Community,
the provisions of which are similar to these of the Agreements concluded
with India and Pakistan .
 ---pagebreak---   4.      In a note addressed to the Commission on 25 September 1973
  ( Annex II ), the Bangladesh Mission expressed its government 's wish to
be able to take advantage of this quota .
          This country previously partook in this annual quota under the ■
Agreement concluded with Pakistan on trade in handicraft products , so that
it is now a question of ensuring that imports from Bangladesh continue to
benefit from the Community tariff quota .
5.        Taking into account the above factors , the Commission considers
that the Community should confine itself at this stage to respending
favourably to the request by Bangladesh .
          In . the negotiations due to take place with this country , the aim
should therefore be to arrive at an Agreement on the same conditions as
these contained in the Agreements currently in force with the countries
mentioned above ( 1 ).    ,
6.        In conclusion , therefore the Commission recommends that the Coun­
cil adopt following draft -. decision ( Annex I ).
( 1 ) India , Pakistan , the Philippines , Thailand , Indonesia , Iran,'. Geylon ,
      Uruguay.'.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 ANNEX I
                     RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
             authorising the Commission to enter into negotiations ,
             on behalf of the Community, with the People 's Republic
             of Bangladesh with a view to concluding an Agreement
               with that country on trade in handicraft products .
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN" COMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
and in particular Article 113 thereof |
Having regard to the recommendation of the Commission ?
Whereas effect should be given to the request by Bangladesh by arranging
negotiations between that country and the Community , with a view to extending
to certain handicraft products originating in Bangladesh the Community tariff
quota , of general application for handicraft products , , opened autonomously
by the Community by Council Regulation No 2733/72 ( l ) of 19 December i972 , amended
by Council Regulation No 2816/73 ( 2 ) of 15 October 1973 »
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS . :
                                      Sole Article
       Tne Commission is hereby    authorized , on behalf of the European
Economic Community , to enter into negotiations with Bangladesh with a view
to concluding an Agreement with that country on trade in handicraft products ,
on the same conditions as those contained in the Agreements which the Community
has concluded with other third countries .
Done at Brussels ,                                      For the Council ,
                                                           The President .
    OJ No L. 291 , 28.12.1972
M   OJ No L. 291 , 18.10.1973
 ---pagebreak---                                                                Annex II
EMBASSY OF THE PEOPLE 'S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH
Brussels 1040 - 27 , rue Baron de Castro
                                                        Sept . 17 , '73
                                                        No EEC-12/73
        The Mission of Bangladesh presents its compliments to the
Commission of the European Communities , and , in consideration of the
advantages granted "by the European Economic Co:nmunity by virtue of the .
Common tariff contingent in exemption from the charges for the "Hiindlocms "
and "handicrafts", contingent which is renewed annually by the Community ,
requests under instruction of the Government of the People 's Republic of
Bangladesh for grant of similar benefit for the same products originating
from Bangladesh .
        In conformity with the usual practice , the Mission of Bangladesh
shall engage itself to present to the customs authorities of the Community
the certificates attesting that these products are handmade . The certifi­
cates shall be delivered by the competent authority of Bangladesh , i.e. the
Export Promotion Bureau , Government of the People 's Republic of Bangladesh ,
Dacca/Chittagong/Khulna.
       The Mission of Bangladesh requests the Commission of the European
Communities to kindly examine its request with due consideration and
hopes this request will be accepted .-
       The Mission of Bangladesh thanks the European Communities in
anticipation for its favourable consideration of the request and takes
this opportunity to renew its respectful wishes .
Commission of the European Communities ,
( Attention : General Direction of
Foreign Relations ),
200 , rue de la Loi ,
1040 Brussels