CELEX: 51974PC0636
Language: en
Date: 1974-05-13 00:00:00
Title: RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION authorizing the Commission to open negotiations on behalf of the Community with the Kingdom of Laos and with the Republic of Sri Lanka with a view to concluding separate agreements with those countries on trade in fabrics of silk or of waste silk other than noil and in fabrics of cotton, woven on handlooms (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (74) 636
Vol. 1974/0101
 ---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
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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
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,
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EU&OEBAN COMMUNITIES
                                                          COM(74) 636 final
                                                          Brussels , 13 May 1974
                     RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
        authorizing the Commission to open negotiations on "behalf of the
     Community with the Kingdom of Laos and with the Republic of Sri Lanka
            with a view to concluding separate agreements with those
        countries on trade in fabrics of silk or of waste silk other than
               noil and in fabrics of cotton , woven on handlooms
                  (submitted to the Council "by the Commission)
   COM(74) 636 final
 ---pagebreak---                           EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
1.    In conformity with the Community 's declaration of intent as re­
gards certain developing countries during the GATT multilateral tariff
negotiations in 19^7 , autonomous duty-free tariff quotas of a value of
one million units of account were opened by the Community , for all
countries , as from 1968 for the following products :
              ex 50.091       fabrics of silk or of waste silk
                              other than noil , woven on handlooms
              ex 55.09 :      other fabrics of cotton , woven on
                              handlooms
      As part of the implementation of the declaration of intent as re­
gards trade relations with certain Asian countries , and having regard
to the needs of the new Member States in conformity with the Act - of
Accession , these Community tariff quotas have been doubled for 197^ to
                                  1
the value of 2 million u.a . each •
2.    Duty-free importation is subject , however , to production to the
Community customs authorities of a certificate , issued by the authorities
recognized by the Community of the recipient State , certifying that the
products in question have been woven on a handloom .
3.    India , Pakistan , Thailand and Bangladesh have already concluded
separate agreements in which the above terms have been specified and
so this year their products will be imported duty-free under the said
Community tariff quotas .
 Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 359V73     28 December 1973i OJ No L 365
 of 31 December 1973
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 2 -
4.    On 3 January 197 ^ and 6 February 197*S the Laostian and Sri Lanka
Missions to the European Communities addressed notes verbales to the
Commission ( see Annexes II and III ) stating that their Governments
would like the concessions already accorded to India , Pakistan , Thailand
and Bangladesh to be extended to their respective countries .
5.    As the Community tariff quotas in question were opened for all
countries , the Commission considers that favourable replies should be
given to these requests and thus recommends that , pursuant to Article 113
of the Treaty , the Council adopt the following decision ( Annex I ),
 ---pagebreak---                                                                   ANNEX I
                  RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
             authorizing the Commission to open negotiations
             on behalf of the Community with the Kingdom of
             Laos and with the Republic of Sri Lanka with a
             view to concluding separate agreements with those
             countries on trade in fabrics of silk or of waste
             silk other than noil and in fabrics of cotton ,
             woven on handlooms
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 cf the Commission ,
Whereas the Governments of the Kingdom of Laos and of the Republic of,
Sri Lanka have stated that they would like the duty-free quotas opened
autonomously by the Community for imports of fabrics of silk or of waste
silk other than noil and of fabrics of cotton , woven on handlooms , to be
extended to their countries on the same terms as for other exporting
third countries ;
Whereas action should be taken upon the requests of Laos and Sri Lanka
by opening negotiations with those countries with a view to establishing
the terms on which the products in question may be imported duty-free
under the tariff quotas opened autonomously by the Community for all
                                                                      1
countries by Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 359V73 of 2o December 1973 5
-1
   OJ No L 3"5 of 31 December 1973
 ---pagebreak--- HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :
                             Sole Article
       The Commission is hereby authorized to open negotiations cn
behalf of the European Economic Community with the Kingdom of Laos
and with the Republic of Sri Lanka with a view to concluding separate
agreements with those countries on trade in fabrics of silk or cf
waste silk other than noil and in fabrics of cotton , woven on hand-
looms , on the same terms as those specified in the agreements con­
cluded by the Community with other third countries .
Done at Brussels ,                             For the Council
                                               The President
 ---pagebreak---   ROTAUME DU LAOS                                             AIWSXE II
     MINISTERE
        DES
AFFAIRES ETRANGERES
                                                  Vientiane , le 3 janvier 1974
  Monsieur le Directeur Général ,
         J' ai l' honneur de vous faire connaître que le Laos possède un
  patrimoine artistique qui se traduit dans un artisanat susceptible de
  prendre une place importante parmi les autres artisanats du Sud-Est
  Asiatique .
         Jusqu' à un pas3é relativement récent , ses productions étaient
  destinées uniquement à la consommation locale , la qualité des articles ,
  sans aucun contrôle , ne permettant pas d' envisager , leur exportation .
         Depuis quelques années , des efforts constants ont été faits pour
  que la qualité des articles soit conforme aux normes internationales
  tout en leur gardant leur caractère traditionnel et original .
         Parmi les articles artisanaux exclusivement faits à la main ,
  on peut citer principalement des tissus de soie et de coton ( écharpes ,
  tapis de table), des objets traditionnels en argent .pur ( titrage 999 )»
  des poteries et des panneaux de bois sculpté etc. ...
         Le Gouvernement Royal du Laos a conscience d' occuper dans ce
  domaine une place de® choix . Il sollicite donc d' être inclus dans la
  liste des pays autorisés à exporter leurs produits artisanaux dans
  les Etats membres de la Communauté Européenne .
 ---pagebreak---                                    - 2 -
                                                                          *
                                                                            I
Cette demande est faite conformément aux règlements du Conseil de
la CEE no 2732/72 du 19.12.1972 ( tissus fait à la iaain) et no 2733/72
du 19/12/72 ( autres produits fait à la main), instituant des contingents
tarifaires pour ces produits .
       Lorsque le Laos sera autorisé à exporter ses produits artisanaux
vers le pays membres de la Communauté , il se conformera aux conditions
stipulées dans les règlements du Conseil de la CEE précités et , en
particulier , à la présentation du Certificat d' Origine dont la signa­
ture sera confiée au Directeur du Service National de l' Artisanat et
de l' Industrie .
        Je vous prie d' accepter , Monsieur le Directeur Général , les
assurances de ma haute considération .
                      (
 ---pagebreak---                                                             AKNEXE III
EMBASSY OP THE REPUBLIC OP SRI LANKA
             IN BELGIUM                                     6 February 1974
      Dear Sir
              I wish to refer to ay letter no . B/EEC /5A of 23 January 1974
      informing you that the Government of Sri Lanka wishes to benefit from
      the Special Duty Free quota of 2 million units of account for handloom
      textiles (CET ex 55*09) •    "the discussion I had with Mr. C. Paoli
      yesterday , I indicated that Sri Lanka would also like to "benefit in
      the Special duty Free quota of 2 million units of account for Woven
      fabrics of silk or wast-3 silk , other than noil ( CET ex 50*09)* This letter
      is to confirm my request to Mr , Paoli and I shall ba glad if the
      necessary arrangements are made as early as possible for Sri Lanka
      to benefit from the Community 's duty free quota for both categories
      of handlooias textiles - namely :
                            C.E.T         ex 50.09
                                   and
                            C.E.T         ex 55*09