CELEX: 31969D0406
Language: en
Date: 1969-11-10 00:00:00
Title: Council Decision of 10 November 1969 on the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Economic Community and India on trade in jute products

Official Journal of the European Communities                                      303
No L 287/32                           Official Journal of the European Communities                                  15.11.69
                                                  COUNCIL DECISION
                                                   of 10 November 1969
                on the conclusion of an Agreement between the European Economic Community and India
                                                  on trade in jute products.
                                                       (69/406/EEC)
 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,                          of the European Economic Community. The text of that
                                                                   Agreement is annexed to this Decision.
 Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
 Economic Community, and in particular Articles 111 ,
 1 14 and 228 thereof;
                                                                                          Article 2
 Having regard to the report from the Commission;
                                                                   The President of the Council is hereby authorized to de­
 Whereas during the 1964/67 multilateral trade nego­               signate the person empowered to sign the Agreement and
 tiations the Community undertook to enter into nego­              to confer on him the powers required in order to bind the
 tiations with India with a view to reaching a satisfac­           Community.
 tory arrangement on trade in jute products ;
Whereas during the negotiations between India and the
Community a draft agreement was drawn up and whereas
that draft is acceptable to the Community,
 HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :                                          Done at Brussels, 10 November 1969.
                          Article I                                                                  For the Council
An Agreement on trade in jute products, in the form of                                                The President
 an Exchange of Letters, is concluded with India on behalf                                          H. J. DE KOSTER
 ---pagebreak--- 304                                                     Official Journal of the European Communities
                                                                                     ANNEX
               Your Excellency,
               During the GATT trade negotiations the Community amplified its tariff proposals for jute products
               in the following Declaration of Intent :
                       'The EEC is prepared to enter into negotiations with India and Pakistan as soon as possible on the
                       various problems arising in the trade in jute products, with the following objectives :
                       — to offer to these two countries better access to the Community market within the framework
                           of mutually satisfactory arrangements ;
                       — to arrange for periodic reviews of the situation for the purpose of resolving any questions which
                           may arise in the application of such arrangements.'
               In accordance with that declaration , negotiations between the Community and representatives of your
               Government were entered into in June 1967 .
               During those negotiations the two Parties agreed, as you know, to seek mutually acceptable solutions
               while observing the following principles :
              — progressive enlargement of access to the Community market for India ;
              — maintenance of the overall activity of the European jute industry at its present level .
               In consequence, I have the honour to confirm that the two Parties have agreed as follows :
              A. The Community:
                    1 . agrees, from the entry into force of the Agreement, to apply the tariff concessions agreed in the
                          Kennedy Round for products in categories 1 to 6 (see the definition of those categories and the
                         agreed duties annexed) (')
                   2. agrees to suspend customs duties on all imports of packing material, in accordance with the pro­
                         visions of the Customs Convention on the Temporary Importation of Packing Material.
              B. In return, India agrees:
                   — to restrict its total deliveries to the Community of products in categories 4 and 5 to 5 500 metric
                         tons for the calendar year 1969, with an increase of 250 metric tons per year for each of the fol­
                         lowing years.
                   — it being understood that :
                         — the quantitative restrictions in force in certain Member States in respect of the two categories
                             of products will be suspended during the period of validity of the Agreement ;
              (') The tariff concessions apply to the Common Customs Tariff headings and subheadings indicated below :
                  57.06 Yarnofjute                                                                                       8%
                  57.10 Woven fabrics of jute :
                          A. Of a width of not more than 1 50 cm and weighing per m2
                                1 . Less than 310 g                                                                    20%
                              11 . Not less than 310 g but not more than 500 g                                         19%
                             111 . Morethan 500g                                                                       15%
                          B. Of a width of more than 150 cm                                                            22%
                  62.03 Sacks and bags, of a kind used for the packing of goods :
                          A. Ofjute fabrics :
                              II . Other :
                                    ( a ) Of woven fabrics weighing less than 310 g/ m2                                20%
                                    ( b) Of woven fabrics weighing not less than 310 but not more than 500 g/ m2       I9° „
                                    ( c) Of woven fabrics weighing more than 500 g/ m2                                 1 5 "„
H. E. Ambassador Th . Swaminathan
Head of the Indian Mission to the European Community,
121 Avenue Molière,
Brussels
 ---pagebreak---                              Official Journal of the European Communities                                  305
        — the Community will not object to the ceiling mentioned above being exceeded if there should .
            be additional requirements on the Community market ;
        — this Community ceiling will be administered by dual supervision .
 C. A Joint Cooperation Committee shall be established . It shall consist of representatives of India and
    representatives of the European Economic Community. The Committee shall meet, at the request
    of one of the Parties, at least once a year.
    — to review all important aspects of the jute economy as a whole, including competition on third­
        country markets for manufactured jute products ;
    — to seek mutually acceptable solutions ;
    — to submit proposals to the respective competent authorities.
D. The first annual review provided for under item C above shall be a general review of all the jute pro­
    ducts listed in the Annex .
E. This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date of its
    signature . It is concluded for the period to 31 December, 1972.
I shall be grateful if you will confirm the agreement of your Government with the contents of this letter.
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurance of my highest consideration .
                                                                     President of the Delegation
                                                                     of the European Communities
Definition of the categories of jute products and duties agreed in the Kennedy Round
 Category 1 : Woven fabrics of jute of a width of not more than 150 cm and weighing more than
                500 g/m2 and sacks of woven jute fabrics weighing more than 500 g/ m2                15 %
Category 2 : Woven fabrics of jute of a width of not more than 150 cm and weighing not less
                than 310 g/m2 but not more than 500 g per sq m and sacks of woven jute fabrics
                weighing not less than 310 g per sq m but not more than 500 g/m2                     19 %
 Category 3 : Woven fabrics of jute of a width of not more than 150 cm and weighing less than
                310 g/m2 and sacks of woven jute fabrics weighing less than 310 g/m2                20 %
Category 4: Woven fabrics of jute of a width of more than 1 50 cm but not more than 230 cm,
                of whatever weight per m2                                                           22 %
Category 5 : Woven fabrics of jute of a width of more than 230 cm, of whatever weight per m2 . . 22 %
Category 6 : Jute yarn                                                                                8%
 ---pagebreak--- 306                                        Official Journal of the European Communities
     Sir,
     I have the honour to acknowledge your letter of                                                         worded as follows :
     ' During the GATT trade negotiations the Community amplified its tariff proposals for jute in the fol­
     lowing Declaration of Intent :
          "The EEC is prepared to enter into negotiations with India and Pakistan as soon as possible on the
          various problems arising in the trade in jute products, with the following objectives :
         — to offer to these two countries better access to the Community market within the framework of
              mutually satisfactory arrangements ;
          — to arrange for periodic reviews of the situation for the purpose of resolving any questions which
              may arise in the application of sucb arrangements."
    In accordance with that declaration , negotiations between the Community and representatives of your
    Government were entered into in June 1967 .
    During those negotiations the two Parties agreed, as you know, to seek mutually acceptable solutions
    while observing the following principles :
    — progressive enlargement of access to the Community market for India ;
    — maintenance of the overall activity of the European jute industry at its present level .
    In consequence, I have the honour to confirm that the two Parties have agreed as follows :
    A. The Community :
         1 . agrees, from the entry into force of the Agreement, to apply the tariff concessions agreed in the
              Kennedy Round for products in categories 1 to 6 (see the definition of those categories and the
             agreed duties annexed .) (')
         2. agrees to suspend customs duties on all imports of packing material , in accordance with the pro­
             visions of the Customs Convention on the Temporary Importation of Packing Material .
    B. In return, India agrees:
         — to restrict its total deliveries to the Community of products in categories 4 and 5 to 5 500 metric
             tons for the calendar year 1969, with an increase of 250 metric tons per year for each of the fol­
             lowing years.
         — it being understood that :
             the quantitative restrictions in force in certain Member States in respect of the two categories of
                   products will be suspended during the period of validity of the Agreement ;
             — the Community will not object to the ceiling mentioned above being exceeded if there should
                   be additional requirements on the Community market ;
    (') The tariff concessions apply to the Common Customs Tariff headings and subheadings indicated below :
        57.06 Yarn of jute                                                                                                   8%
        57.10 Woven fabrics of jute :
               A. Of a width of not more than 150 cm and weighing per m2
                      I. Less than 310 g                                                                                    20%
                    II . Not less than 310 g but not more than 500 g                                                        19%
                   III . More than 500 g                                                                                    15%
               B. Of a width of more than 150 cm                                                                            22%
        62.03 Sacks and bags, of a kind used for the packing of goods :
              A. Of jute fabrics :
                    II . Other :
                         (a) Of woven fabrics weighing less than 310 g/mJ                                                   20%
                         (b) Of woven fabrics weighing not less than 310 but not more than 500 g/m2                         19% .
                         (c) Of woven fabrics weighing more than 500 g/m2                                                   15%
    To Mr
    Head of the Delegation
    of the European Communities
 ---pagebreak---                            Official Journal of the European Communities                                   307
       — this Community ceiling shall be administered by dual supervision .
C. A Joint Cooperation Committee shall be established. It shall consist of representatives of India and
   representatives .of the European Economic Community. The Committee shall meet, at the request
   of one of the Parties, at least once a year,
   — to review all important aspects of the jute economy as a whole, including competition in third­
       country markets for manufactured jute products,
   — to seek mutually acceptable solutions,
   — to submit proposals to the respective competent authorities .
D. The first annual review provided for under item C above shall be a general review of all the jute pro­
   ducts listed in the Annex .
E. This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date of its
   signature. It is concluded for the period to 31 December 1972.'
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurance of my highest consideration .
                                                                              SWAM] NATHAN
                                                                         Head of the Indian Delegation