CELEX: 51973PC2151
Language: en
Date: 1973-12-17
Title: DECISION OF THE COUNCIL authorizing the French Republic to take certain anti-inflationary measures relating to Commercial policy (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (73) 2151
Vol. 1973/0391
 ---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(73 ) 2151 final
                                              Brussels , 17 december 1973
                        DECISION OF THE COUNCIL
         authorizing the French Republic to take certain
        anti-inflationary measures relating to Commercial
                                  policy
            ( submitted to the Council by the Commission )
     COM(73 ) 2151 final
 ---pagebreak---                              EXPLANATORY' M3M0RAHDUM
1.      On 7 December 1973 the French Government informed the other Member .
States and the Commission , by telex from its Permanent Representation , of
its intention to adopt certain autonomous measures of commercial policy
within the framework of its anti-inflation programme and in accordance with
item VII of the Council Resolution of 4 December 1973 »
        Those measures , which relate both to agricultural and manufactured
products , mny be summarized as follows :
( a) A continuation for a period of six months from 1 January 1974 of the
     measures adopted on 11 July 1973 to liberalize imports of processed
     agrictiltural products and certain other agricultural products .
(b ) Increases in the amounts of overall and bilateral import quotas generally
     of       excluding ajnmonitrates , radio and television receiving apparatus
     and their spare parts .
However , for certain products ( gloves , undergarments , men 's and boys 1 clo­
thing) there would be a maximum increase of 3O7L
These increases would apply to quotas opened in . 1973 (basic quotas plus
short term increases fixed in July 1973 )*
2.      At the request of the Commission the measures planned were , on 11
December 1973 » studied as referred to in Article 2 of the relevant Council
Decision of 19 December 1972 on the standardization of import arrangements
of the Member States in respect of third countries .
                                                               ../2
 ---pagebreak---                                         2   -
       The Commission recalls moreover as regards the textile products
which will be covered by the multilateral agreement being negotiated at
present (wool , cotton and synthetic and artificial fibres ) and products
originating in Japan , that by reason of the Council 's authorization to
commence negotiations with these countries in accordance with Article 5
of the Decision of 19 December 1972 prior authorization of the Council
is always necessary before adopting the measures planned .
       While the document was being studied most Delegations did not raise
any objections to the measures planned by the French Government . The Dele­
gations from the Benelux countries and from Italy had certain misgivings ,
particularly with regard to sensitive products such as textiles . However ,
the Commission regards these misgivings as being unjustified in the light
of the short term nature of the proposed measures and of the fact that the
supplementary quotas apply only to imports for 1973 and shall net affect
the fixing of quotas to be opened for 1974 *
       Indeed , the Fronch Delegation stated explicitly , thereby allaying ,
to a certain extent , the fears expressed by the Delegations from the
Benelux countries and from Italy ,  It should be stressed that these Delega­
tions expressed the wish that this statement be confirmed in the Council
minutes of the proposed Decision attached hereto ( Annex l ).
3.     As far as the Commission itself is concerned it considers that the
proposed increases do not concern products which are subject to voluntary
restraint under Community Agreements .
       Moreover , the Commission notes that the increases proposed for the
textile sector , even if they are enly short-term , conform with the guide­
lines laid down for the establishment of common import arrangements for ■
textile products as set forth in the memo from the Commission to the
Council on 30 October 1973 (doc . SEC ( 73 ) 3901 final ) and in particular'
item 8 thereof .
                                                                 /
                                                               •/ • •
 ---pagebreak---                                        3  -
4.     The Commission , mindful of the above considerations , is of the
opinion that Prance should be authorized to adopt the proposed measures ,
       A proposal for a Decision relating thereto is submitted for
Council approval .
 ---pagebreak---                       PROPOSAL FOR A DECISION OF TEE
           COUNCIL CONCERNING MODIFICATIONS PLANNED BY THE FRENCH
           REPUBLIC TO ITS IMPORT /JLRANGEMENTS IN ORDER TO COMBAT
                                  INFLATION
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,   ■                           .
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
and in particular Article 113 ;
Having regard to the Council Decision of 19 December 1972 ( l ) fixing cer­
tain transitional measures for the gradual standardization of import
arrangements of the Member States with regard to third countries , and in
particular Article 5 thereof ;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ;
Whereas the French Republic has , in accordance with Article 1 of the
aforementioned Decision of 19 December 1972 , informed the other Member
States and the Commission that it intends to make certain autonomous
modifications to its import arrangements in respect of third countries
as part of its anti-inflation programme and in accordance with the rele­
vant Council Resolution of 4 December 1973 5                     ; -
Whereas the French Government intends to continue the liberalization of
import of certain processed agricultural products for a period of six
months from j January 1974 » said to increase the import quotas of almost all
manufactured products including certain textile products for 1973 without
affecting the amount or volume of quotas for 1974 5
 ---pagebreak---                                       2
Whereas the Council , in a Decision of 6 Uovember 197 3 » authorized the
Community to join, in negotiating an Agreement on the international trade
in textiles within the framework of GATT and in July 1970 had authorized
the negotiation of a trade agreement with Japan ;
Whereas the French Republic may not therefore , according to Article 5 °f
the aforementioned Decision of 19 December 1972 , increase import quotas
of textile products on the one hand , and introduce measures relating to
products originating in Japan on the other hand without prior authorization ;
Whereas these special temporary measures are unlikely to affect Community
interest particularly as regards negotiations in progress and may therefore
be brought into force by the French Republic ;
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION :
                                  Article 1
The autonomous measures to free imports for a period of six months from 1
January 1974 and the autonomous increases in import quotas for 1973
planned by the French Republic and notified on 7 December 1973 may be
brought into force .
                                  Ar+icle 2
This Decision is addressed to the French Republic ,
Dona at Brussels                                    For the Council