CELEX: 51980PC0777
Language: en
Date: 1980-11-21 00:00:00
Title: RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION AUTHORISING THE COMMISSION TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA FOR A VOLUNTARY RESTRAINT ARRANGEMENT IN RESPECT OF CERTAIN TEXTILE PRODUCTS (presented by the Commission to the Council)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (80) 777
Vol. 1980/0241
 ---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
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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,
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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 EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                         COM(80)777    final
                                         Brussels - 21st November 1980
                    RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
            AUTHORISING THE COMMISSION TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE
           REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA  FOR A VOLUNTARY RESTRAINT ARRANGEMENT
                   IN RESPECT OF CERTAIN TEXTILE PRODUCTS
                 (presented by the Commission to the Council )
                                            Η
 C0M < 80 ) 777 final
 ---pagebreak---                              EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
   I. On 19 March 1979 Tunisia concluded a voluntary restraint arrangement „
       with the Community covering exports of a number of its textile
       products to the EEC .   The arrangement established Community and
       regional quotas for ten , categories of textile product ;     it is due
       to expire on 31 December .
 II . Given the present state of,the European texti le industry a new arrange­
      ment will be needed from 1 January 1981 .      This has been explained to
      the Tunisian authorities , inter alia by Mr. Davignon , who visited Tunis
      from 28-30 August .
III . On that occasion the Tunisian Government, indicated that whi le deploring
      the absence of any prospect for a rapid return to the letter of the
      co-operation agreement^ it intended to take a realistic and co-oper-
      ative attitude towards the Community , and therefore agreed in principle
      to a further voluntary restraint arrangement .
 IV . Tunis feels that the new arrangement should be both temporary and
      more favourable than its predecessor / so as to constitute a significant
      step back towards the " legality " of the co-operation agreement .
      As regards the content of the arrangement / Tunisia has informed the
      Commission that it , considers the following points essential :
      - the number of products subject to quota should be reduced
      - the Community should not treat imports of indigo denim of Tunisian ~
         origin less favourably than imports of the same product produced in
         similar conditions                           r
      - greater flexibility should be allowed for trousers ( category 6 ).
  V. In the course of the exploratory talks which took place in Brussels
        on 3 October the Commission again indicated the need for a new
        arrangement , particularly so that the Community would not be obliged
        to apply the safeguard clause during the year .     It also emphasised
        that it was in the interests of both parties to introduce c !
        administrative co- operation based on trie- double-checking system .
                                                                       e/• • e
 ---pagebreak---                                                                  2.
The Tunisian delegation was not in a position at that stage to be
more specific about the improvements Tunis wanted to see incorp­
orated in the new arrangement .   However , it repeated the points
made in Tunis by the Minister for the National Economy ( see III
and IV above ), with particular reference to indigo denim , its ex­
ports of . which Tunisia feels are being discriminated against since
the United States , a non-preferential country , exports this product
to the Community free of any quantitative limitation .
 ---pagebreak---               RECOMMENDATION. FOP * " OUNCIL DECISION AUTHOR-
              ISING THE COMMISSION TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH
              THE REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA . TOR A VOLUNTARY RE -  '
              STHAINT ARRANGEMENT IN RESPECT OF CERTAIN TEX­
                             TILE PRODUCTS
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Com­
munity *, and in particular Article 113 thereof ,
Having regard to the Yecommendation from the Conrni ssion .
Whereas the Community has concluded bilateral textile agreements and
arrangements with certain third countries ,       whereas it is necessary
to renew the arrangement with Tunisia , which expires oh 31 December
1980 ,. '   .
                    y
HAS DECIDED AS     FOLLOWS :
                               Sole Article
The Commi ssion is hereby authorised to open negotiations with the
Republic of Tunisia with a view to concluding a voluntary restraint
arrangement in respect of certain texti le products .
The Commission shall conduct the negotiations in accordance with the
directives contained in Annex 1 and in consultation with the Special
                                                              r
Committee provided for in Article 113 of the Treaty .
 ---pagebreak---                                                                     ANNEX 1
                            Negotiating directives
 1 . Duration of the arrangement
       One year ( from 1 January 1981 to 31 December 1981 ) with a review
     - clause for 1982 ( 1 ).      .
2 . Group I products
       a ) Category 2 : ( 2 )
           - removal of quota , establishment of Community . and regional
             limits beyond which the safeguard clause can be brought into
                                     I
             operation ;
                                                                              • -
           - setting up of compulsory machinery (coupled with suspension of
             exports ) to operate when imports stand at 80 % of the limit .
                   : i
      b ) Category 4 :
           - increase in line with the 1977 burden-sharing formula .
      c ) Category 6 :
           - Community quota to be raised 10 % from 1980 administrative
             level ; and adjustment of regional quotas .
      d ) Category 7 :
           - increase of 10 % in Community quota , adjustment of regional
             a I location .
      e ) Category 8 :                                           v'
           - increase in line- with the 1977 burden-sharing formula .
                                                                             •/•• •■
( 1 ) Not      later than three months . before the end of 1981 the parties
        shall review "the te:;':ile situation to determine what arrangements
        are to apply to Tunisian textile exports from 1 January 1982 , in
        the context of the relevant provisions of the co-operation agreement
( 2 ) Indigo denim account - f <-■ r nearly all Tunisian exports of category
        2 fabrics . It is p '..nned to create a separate statistical heading
        for denim . Once thi ;         Jone , the terms of the arrangement -
        assuming : i is s t i L in r orce - will apply only to denim .
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                2.
  3 . Group II products :
       - elimination of regional quotas ( categories 13 , 21 , 26 + 27 , and 27 ) ;
           less than 50 % of the 1979 quotas for these products was taken up
       - statistical SL Vei I lance " of imports plus consu Itati on clause and
           re-introduction   of quantitative controls in the event of abnormal
          trade flows developing .         '
 4 . ExpOrtl^to Greece ;                                                              -
       - the- arrangement will include quotas for exports to Greece corres-
     3 yppnelang tothe " theoretical minimum share " ( 1 ).
5 . Outward processing :
       - if the outward processing regulation currently under consideration
          is adopted specific outward processing quotas wi 1 1 have to be
       'incorporated in the arrangement .
6 . Flexibi lity ■: '
       ~ flexibility margin to be increased . -
7 . Administrative co-operation :
      - As a quidpro quo for the above substantial concessions Tunisia .
          will hav£ to agree to the introduction of the double-checking
          system, which is both administratively simpler than the present
          system and able to prevent any occurrence of fraud ( it has so far
         been extremely reluctant to do so ).      . . •
'                   i                                             '
8 . The implications for Morocco :
      - Morocco agreed to a voluntary restraint arrangement with the Com-
         muryity  which is not due to expire until 31 December 1981 . In the
         course  of the negotiations Morocco was rightly concerned lest it
       . should   receive less, favourable treatment than- Tunisia simply because
         it had  agreed to a longer-term arrangement .
                                                                           m / 'm m m m
(1 ) 5 % of 2 % of the total EEC ( 9 ) quota (a minimum level of 1 tonne
        or 1500 pieces , according to the product ),                -
 ---pagebreak--- In return for use of the double-checking system , the Community could accept
to remove , for Morocco , the quotas of Group II and the increase in the  *
flexibility margin .
 1 ■>       1 ■
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                                                          ANNEX 2
                                                          19 8 1
                                                       Q U 0 TA S
                                                                                                l
   CATEGORY         UNIT             D          F               I     BNL       UK      IRL   : DK        GR            CEE
                                                                                                                    !
      *             " 1,000        1 310                                                       100   ''. ' 5
                                              3,090            330    330       670       30                           4,865
  T - shirts        pieces
                                 l
      6                 1,000
                                   3,070      3,480            550 3,480        650       20      90      15          11,355
   Trousers         pieces
      7 ,               1,000
                                     685        555             90    420        80         4     1*       2           1,850
  : Blouses       i pieces 3                      r  T
                                                           3 "
                                                                                                             ■ ■ ■ i
                  I   :       3
                  i  :        :
      8                 1,000      4,225      2,130            380    300     . 600       25      50      10           7,420
    Shirts          pieces
                  '   '                                                               • :
                                      ' SAFEGUARD CLAUSE TRIGGER LEVEL FOR CATEGORY 2
                                                          PRODUCTS
-              *i               i
                                                                                          \
      2
  Woven Cotton      Tonnes           510      6,530            550  2,800       135       35      35      10          10,605
     fabrics