CELEX: 21973A1015(02)
Language: en
Date: 1973-05-14 00:00:00
Title: Association Agreement concerning the accession of Mauritius to the Yaounde Convention (1969)

No L 288 /2                        Official Journal of the European Communities                            15 . 10 . 73
                                               ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT
                     concerning the accession of Mauritius to the Yaounde Convention (1969)
             HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS,
            THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,
            THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,
            THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC,
            HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG,
            HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS ,
             Contracting Parties to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community signed at
            Rome on 25 March 1957 and hereinafter called 'the Community', whose States are hereinafter
             referred to as ' Member States' and
            THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
             on the one hand, and
            HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF MAURITIUS,
            on the other hand,
            HAVING REGARD to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, hereinafter
            called 'the Treaty', and in particular Article 238 thereof,
            HAVING REGARD to the Convention of Association between the European Economic
            Community and the African and Malagasy States associated with that Community, signed
            at Yaounde on 29 July 1969 and hereinafter called 'the Convention of Association', and
            in particular Article 60 (3 ) thereof,
            WHEREAS Mauritius has applied to accede to the Convention of Association,
            HAVE DECIDED to conclude an Association Agreement concerning the accession of Mauritius
            to the Convention of Association, and to this end have designated as their Plenipotentiaries :
            HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS :
                           Mr DE COEYER,
                           Belgian Ambassador in Nairobi ;
            THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY :
                           Dr Axel HERBST,
                           Ambassador;
            THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC :
                           Mr Yvon BOURGES,
                          State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
 ---pagebreak--- 15 . 10 . 73                     Official Journal of the European Communities                                No L 288 /3
              THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC :
                          Mr Mario PEDINI,
                          Deputy State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs ;
              HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG :
                          Mr Gaston THORN,
                          Minister for Foreign Affairs ;
              HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS :
                          Mr Th. E. WESTERTERP,
                          State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs ;
              THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES :
                          Mr Gaston THORN,
                          President in Office of the Council ;
                          Mr Jean-Francois DENIAU,
                          Member of the Commission ;
              HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF MAURITIUS :
                          Sir Seewoosagur RAMGOOLAM,
                          Prime Minister;
              WHO, having exchanged their Full Powers, found in good and due form,
              HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS :
                       Article 1                                the difference between the general rate of customs
                                                               duty applicable on the date of entry into force of
                                                               this Agreement to products originating in the Com­
1 . This Agreement establishes an association be­              munity and the preferential rate of customs duty
tween the Community and Mauritius and provides for              applicable on the same date to products originating
the accession of the latter to the Convention of               in the Commonwealth shall be eliminated on the
Association.
                                                                first day of the month following the date of entry
                                                                into force of the Agreement if that difference is
2.     Save as otherwise provided in this Agreement,            equal to or less than 10 % of the customs value of
the provisions of the Convention of Association and             the imported goods;
also the decisions and other implementing measures
taken by the institutions of the Association shall
apply to Mauritius.                                            if the difference is more than 10% of the customs
                                                               value of the imported goods, it shall be eliminated
                                                                according to the following timetable :
                       Article 2
                                                                  (i) on the first day of the month following the date
                                                                       of entry into force of the Agreement, elimination
1.     Customs duties and charges having equivalent                    of a part of the difference between the two
effect on imports of products originating in the                       tariffs equal to at least 10% of the customs
Community shall be abolished by Mauritius pro­                         value of the imported goods ;
gressively. To this end, products originating in the
Community shall, in accordance with the following
procedure, be imported into Mauritius at the pre­                (ii ) by 31 December 1974 at the latest, elimination of
ferential rate of customs duty applicable to products                  the difference remaining between the two tariffs
imported from the Commonwealth :                                       following the reduction laid down in ( i).
 ---pagebreak--- No L 288 /4                        Official Journal of the European Communities                            15 . 10 . 73
2.    The amendments to the customs tariff of Mau­            The instruments of ratification and the act of noti­
ritius shall apply to all the headings and subheadings        fication of the conclusion of the Agreement shall be
of that tariff where there exists a difference between        deposited with the Secretariat of the Council of the
the general rate of customs duty and the preferential         European Communities, which shall give notice
rate of customs duty whatever the basis of assessment         thereof to the Signatory States.
and the mode of levying the duties may be.
However, amendments affecting headings and sub­
headings of the tariff which in the general tariff and                               Article S
in the preferential tariff are subject to a specific duty
or to an ad valorem duty wiith minimum specific               This Agreement shall enter into force on the first
charge, shall be made by 31 December 1974 at the              day of the month following the date on which the
latest.                                                       instruments of ratification of the Member States and
                                                              of Mauritius, and the act of notification of the
                                                              conclusion of the Agreement by the Community,
                                                              have been deposited.
                        Article 3
The time limits laid down by the Convention of
Association and calculated from the entry into force                                  Article 6
of the Convention of Association shall for the
purpose of application to Mauritius be calculated             The Protocols annexed to this Agreement shall form
from the entry into force of this Agreement.                  an integral part thereof.
                        Article 4                                                     Article 7
As regards the Community, this Agreement shall be             This Agreement, drawn up in a single original in
validly concluded by a decision of the Council of             the German, English, French, Italian, and Dutch
the European Communities taken in conformity with             languages, each of these texts being equally authentic,
the provisions of the Treaty and notified to the              shall be deposited in the archives of the Secretariat
Parties. It shall be ratified by the Signatory States         of the Council of the European Communities, which
in conformity with their respective constitutional            shall transmit a certified copy to the Government of
 requirements.                                                each of the Signatory States .
              Zu Urkund dessen haben die unterzeichneten Bevollmächtigten ihre Unterschriften unter
              dieses Abkommen gesetzt.
              In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have affixed their signature below
              this Agreement.
              En foi de quoi, les plénipotentiaires soussignés ont apposé leurs signatures au bas du
              présent accord .
              In fede di che, i plenipotenziari sottoscritti hanno apposto le loro firme in calce al
              presente Accordo.
              Ten blijke waarvan de ondergetekende gevolmachtigden hun handtekening onder dit
              Akkoord hebben gesteld.
 ---pagebreak--- 15 . 10 . 73                       Official Journal of the European Communities                  No L 288/5
             Geschehen zu Port Louis ( Mauritius ) am zwölften Mai neunzehnhundertzweiundsiebzig
             Done at Port Louis (Mauritius ) on the twelfth day of May in the year one thousand
             nine hundred and seventy-two
             Fait à Port Louis ( lie Maurice), le douze mai mil neuf cent soixante-douze
             Fatto a Port Louis (Maurizio), il dodici maggio millenovecentosettantadue
             Gedaan te Port Louis ( Mauritius ), de twaalfde mei negentienhonderd tweeënzeventig
             Pour Sa Majeste le roi des Belges,
             Voor Zijne Majesteit de Koning der Belgen ,
             Für den Präsidenten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland,
             Pour le président de la République française,
             Per il Presidente della Repubblica italiana,
             Pour Son Altesse Royale le grand-duc de Luxembourg,
             Voor Hare Majesteit de Koningin der Nederlanden,
 ---pagebreak--- No L 288 / 6                      Official Journal of the European Communities                         15 . 10. 73
             Im Namen des Rates der Europäischen Gemeinschaften,
             For the Council of the European Communities .
             Pour le Conseil des Communautés européennes,
             Per il Consiglio delle Comunità europee,
             Voor de Raad der Europese Gemeenschappen,
             Mit dem Vorbehalt, daß für die Europäische Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft erst dann end­
             gültig eine Verpflichtung besteht, wenn sie den anderen Vertragsparteien notifiziert hat,
             daß die durch den Vertrag zur Gründung der Europäischen "Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft
             vorgeschriebenen Verfahren stattgefunden haben.
             Provided that the European Economic Community shall be finally bound only after the
             other Contracting Parties have been notified that the procedures required by the Treaty
             establishing the European Economic Community have been completed.
             Sous réserve que la Communauté économique européenne ne sera définitivement
             engagée qu'après notification aux autres parties contractantes de l'accomplissement des
             procédures requises par le traité instituant la Communauté économique européenne.
              Con riserva che la Comunità economica europea sarà definitivamente vincolata soltanto
             dopo notifica alle altre Parti contraenti dell'espletamento delle procedure richieste dal
             Trattato che istituisce la Comunità Economica Europea.
              Onder voorbehoud dat de Europese Economische Gemeenschap eerst definitief
              gebonden zal zijn na kennisgeving aan de andere Overeenkomstsluitende Partijen van de
              vervulling der door het Verdrag tot oprichting van de Europese Economische
              Gemeenschap vereiste procedures.
              For Her Majesty the Queen of Mauritius
 ---pagebreak--- 15 . 10 . 73                       Official Journal of the European Communities                        No L 288/7
                                                  PROTOCOL No 1
                concerning the implementation of Article 2 (2) of the Convention of Association
             THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES
             Have agreed upon the following provisions, which are annexed to the Association
             Agreement :
             The Community recognizes the importance of the production and export of sugar for
             the economy of Mauritius and its future development.
             On this point, the Contracting Parties are mindful of the terms of Protocol No 22 on
             relations between the European Economic Community and the Associated African and
             Malagasy States and also the independent developing Commonwealth countries situated
             in Africa, the Indian Ocean and the Caribbean, this Protocol being annexed to the Act
             concerning the Conditions of Accession and the Adjustments to the Treaties . This Act
             is annexed to the Treaty concerning the accession of the Kingdom of Denmark, Ireland,
             the Kingdom of Norway and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
             to the European Economic Community and to the European Atomic Energy Community,
             signed in Brussels on 22 January 1972. The Protocol states, in particular, that the
             Community will have as its firm purpose the safeguarding of the interests of all the
             countries referred to therein whose economies depend to a considerable extent on the
             export of primary products, and particularly of sugar.
             The Contracting Parties have further taken note of the provisions of Protocol No 17
             on the import of sugar by the United Kingdom from the exporting countries and
             territories referred to in the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement. This Protocol is also
             annexed to the above Act and states that the United Kingdom is authorized to import
             from Mauritius until 28 February 1975, on special terms, the quantity of sugar within
             the negotiated price quota under the Commonwealth Sugar Agreement.
             In consideration of these provisions , it is agreed that- the Community shall, while the
             Convention of Association is in force, refrain from introducing special treatment under
             Protocol No 1 annexed to the Convention of Association for imports of sugar originating
             in Mauritius .
                                                  PROTOCOL No 2
                   concerning the transitional arrangements for the issue of certificates of origin
              THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES
              Have agreed upon the following provisions, which are annexed to the Association
             Agreement:
              Goods which conform to the provisions of the decisions of the Association Council on
             the concept of 'originating' products and which, on the date of entry into force of the
              Agreement, are being transported, or are held in a Member State or in Mauritius under
              temporary warehouse procedure, in bonded warehouses on in free zones (including free
              ports and free entrepots) may be allowed to benefit from the provisions of the Agree­
              ment, subject to the submission to the Customs authorities of the importing country,
              within four months of the said date, of :
              (a) a certificate A.Y.I issued retroactively by the Customs authorities of the exporting
                   country, or
              (b) a certificate of origin issued by the competent authorities of that country,
              and, in either case, any documents that provide supporting evidence of direct transport.
 ---pagebreak--- No L 288/8                      Official Journal of the European Communities                       15 . 10 . 73
                                                 FINAL ACT
           The Plenipotentiaries of
           HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS ,
           THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,
           THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,
           THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC,
           HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG,
           HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS,
           THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
           on the one hand, and of
           HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF MAURITIUS,
           on the other hand,
           being assembled on 12 May 1972, at Port Louis (Mauritius ) for the purpose of signing
           an Association Agreement concerning the accession of Mauritius to the Convention
           of Association between the European Economic Community and the African and
           Malagasy States associated with that Community, have adopted the following texts :
           the Association Agreement concerning the accession of Mauritius to the Convention of
           Association between the European Economic Community and the African and Malagasy
           States associated with that Community,
           and also the following Protocols :
           Protocol No 1 concerning the implementation of Article 2 (2) of the Convention of
                             Association ,
           Protocol No 2 concerning the transitional arrangements for the issue of certificates of
                             origin .
           The Plenipotentiaries have approved the Declarations listed below and appearing in
           Annexes I to IX to the Final Act of the Convention of Association signed at Yaounde
           on 29 July 1969 :
           1 . Declaration by the Contracting Parties concerning Article 10 of the Convention of
               Association (Annex I)
           2. Declaration by the Contracting Parties concerning petroleum products (Annex II)
           3 . Declaration by the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States and
               the Representatives of the Governments of the Associated States concerning the
               fiscal and customs arrangements applicable to contracts financed by the Community
               (Annex III)
           4. Declaration by the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States and
               the Representatives of the Government of the Associated States confirming the
               Resolutions of the Association Council concerning financial and technical coopera­
               tion (Annex IV)
 ---pagebreak--- 15 . 10. 73                        Official Journal of the European Communities                       No L 288 /9
            5 . Declaration by the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States and
                 the Representatives of the Governments of the Associated States concerning the
                 liberalization of payments ( Annex V)
            6. Declaration by the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States and
                 the Representatives of the Governments of the Associated States concerning non­
                 discrimination between Member States in the matter of investments (Annex VI)
            7. Declaration by the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States and
                 the Representatives of the Governments of the Associated States concerning Article 1
                 of Protocol No 9 on privileges and immunities (Annex VII)
            8 . Declaration by the Contracting Parties concerning a good offices procedure (Annex
                 VIII )
            9 . Declaration by the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States and
                 the Representatives of the Governments of the Associated States concerning the
                 Statute of the Court of Arbitration of the Association (Annex IX)
            The Plenipotentiary of Mauritius has also taken note of the Declarations listed below
            and appearing in Annexes X to XIV to the Final Act of the Convention of Association,
            signed at Yaounde on 29 July 1969 :
            1 . Declaration by the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States
                 concerning nuclear products ( Annex X)
            2. Declaration by the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States
                 concerning the tariff quota for imports of bananas ( Annex XI)
            3 . Declaration by the Community concerning Article 25 of the Convention of
                 Association and Article 9 of Protocol No 6 concerning the administration of
                 Community aids ( Annex XII)
            4. Declaration by the Representative of the Government of the Federal Republic of
                 Germany concerning the definition of German nationals ( Annex XIII)
            5 . Declaration by the Representative of the Government of the Federal Republic of
                 Germany concerning the application of the Convention of Association to Berlin
                 (Annex XIV)
            The Plenipotentiaries have also adopted the text of the following Declaration annexed
            to this Final Act :
             Declaration by the Contracting Parties concerning the implementation of the decisions
            of the Association Council on the rules of origin of the Convention of Association
             ( Annex I)
            Furthermore, the Plenipotentiary of Mauritius has taken note of the following
            Declaration annexed to this Final Act :
            Declaration by the Community and by the Representatives of the Governments of the
            Member States concerning the implementation of Title II of the Convention of
            Association (Annex II).
 ---pagebreak--- No L 288 / 10                       Official Journal of the European Communities                       15 . 10 . 73
              Zu Urkund dessen haben die unterzeichneten Bevollmächtigten ihre Unterschriften unter
              diese Schlußakte gesetzt.
              In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have affixed their signature below
              this final Act.
              En foi de quoi, les plénipotentiaires soussignés ont apposé leurs signatures au bas du
              présent acte final .
              In fede di che, i plenipotenziari sottoscritti hanno apposto le loro firme in calce al
              presente Atto finale.
              Ten iblijke waarvan de ondergetekende gevolmachtigden hun handtekening onder deze
              Slotakte hebben gesteld.
              Geschehen zu Port Louis (Mauritius) am zwölften Mai neunzehnhundertzweiundsiebzig
              Done at Port Louis (Mauritius) on the twelfth day of May in the year one thousand
              nine hundred and seventy-two
              Fait a Port Louis (lie Maurice), le douze mai mil neuf cent soixante-douze
              Fatto a Port Louis (Maurizio ), il dodici maggio miillenovecentosettantadue
              Gedaan te Port Louis (Mauritius), de twaalfde mei negentienhonderd tweeënzeventig
              Pour Sa Majeste le roi des Belges ,
              Voor Zijne Majesteit de Koning der Belgen,
              Für den Präsidenten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland,
              Pour le président de la République française,
             Per il Presidente della Repubblica italiana,
             Pour Son Altesse Royale le grand-duc de Luxembourg,
 ---pagebreak--- 15 . 10 . 73                       Official Journal of the European Communities                         No L 288 / 11
             Voor Hare Majesteit de Koningin der Nederlanden,
             lm Namen des Rates der Europäischen Gemeinschaften,
             For the Council of the European Communities,
             Pour le Conseil des Communautés européennes ,
             Per il Consiglio delle Comunità europee,
             Voor de Raad der Europese Gemeenschappen,
             Mit dem Vorbehalt, daß für die Europäische Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft erst dann end­
              gültig eine Verpflichtung besteht, wenn sie den anderen Vertragsparteien notifiziert hat,
             daß die durch den Vertrag zur Gründung der Europäischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft
             vorgeschriebenen Verfahren stattgefunden haben.
             Provided that the European Economic Community shall be finally bound only after the
              other Contracting Parties have been notified that the procedures required by the Treaty
             establishing the European Economic Community have been completed.
             Sous réserve que la Communauté économique européenne ne sera définitivement
              engagée qu'après notification aux autres parties contractantes de l'accomplissement des
             procédures requises par le traité instituant la Communauté économique européenne.
              Con riserva che la Comunità economica europea sarà definitivamente vincolata soltanto
              dopo notifica alle altre Parti contraenti dell'espletamento delle procedure richieste dal
              Trattato che istituisce la Comunità Economica Europea.
              Onder voorbehoud dat de Europese Economische Gemeenschap eerst definitief
              gebonden zal zijn na kennisgeving aan de andere Overeenkomstsluitende Partijen van de
              vervulling der door het Verdrag tot oprichting van de Europese Economische Gemeen­
              schap vereiste procedures .
              For Her Majesty the Queen of Mauritius
 ---pagebreak--- No L 288 / 12                       Official Journal of the European Communities                         15 . 10. 73
                                                        ANNEX 1
              Declaration by the Contracting Parties concerning the implementation of the decisions
                  of the Association Council on the rules of origin of the Convention of Association
               1.      The Contracting Parties are conscious of the importance that the export of
              industrial products to the Community has for the economic development of Mauritius.
              On this point, Mauritius, while recallling its agreement to the decisions taken by the
              Association Council on the definition of the concept of ' originating' products, has
              drawn attention to the difficulty that it would have in conforming to those decisions
              in respect of the export of certain such products immediately upon entry into force of
              the Agreement.
              2.       The Contracting Parties agree to study, once the Agreement has been signed, the
              possibility of deciding on an adjustment period, which in any event will not run beyond
              31 December 1974, in order to settle those difficulties . They agree to submit the results
              of their work to the Association Council once the Agreement is in force.
              3.      The Contracting Parties have also agreed to seek measures that will allow the
              industries concerned to adapt to the conditions stipulated in the definition of origin
              with a view to improved access to the Community market for their products. To
              facilitate such adaptation , the Government of Mauritius may have recourse to the
              provisions of the Convention of Association concerning financial and technical
              cooperation, especially in the field of industrialization and promotion of trade.
                                                       ANNEX 11
              Declaration by the Community and by the Representatives of the Governments of the
              Member States concerning the implementation of Title II of the Convention of
                                                       Association
             With a view to enabling Mauritius, on the entry into force of the Association Agreement,
             to benefit from the provisions of Title II of the Convention of Association concerning
              financial and technical cooperation under the same conditions as the Associated African
              and Malagasy States which are signatory to that Convention, the Community and the
              Representatives of the Governments of the Member States have agreed as follows :
              1.      The amount of the European Development Fund will be raised by an increase
              in the contributions of the Member States laid down in Article 1 (2) of the Internal
             Agreement on the financing and administration of Community aid, signed at Yaounde
              on 29 July 1969. The amounts appearing in Article 1 (3a) will be adjusted in proportion
              to the increase in the amount of the Fund . The total amount of the European
              Development Fund thus increased will constitute a ceiling for measures financed by the
              Community in the Associated African and Malagasy States , including Mauritius, as a
              whole .
             2.       As regards the implementation of Article 18 (b ) of the Convention of Association,
             the European Investment Bank has been requested to extend to Mauritius the loan
             facilities that it grants from its own resources to the Associated African and Malagasy
             States which are signatory to that Convention of Association.        N