CELEX: 51974PC1271
Language: da
Date: 1974-07-31
Title: Forslag til RÅDETS BESLUTNING om bemyndigelse til forlangelse eller stiltiende videreførelse af visse handelsaftaler, som medlemsstaterne har indgået med tredjelande (forelagt Rådet af Kommissionen)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (74) 1271
Vol. 1974/0203
 ---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
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der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.
 ---pagebreak---                                              KOM(74)1271 endelig ud.
                                             Bruxelles , 31 juli 1974
                               Forslag til
                             RÅDETS  BESLUTNING
       om "bemyndigelse til forlangelse eller stiltiende videreførelse
       af visse handelsaftaler , som medlemsstaterne har indgået med
                                tredjelande
                       ( forelagt Rådet af Kommissionen)
KM( 74 ) 1271 endelig udg.
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 5 -
NEDERLAND      Arabische Republiek
               Egypte           Handelsovereenkomst    21 . 3.1953 31.12.1975
               Argentinié       Handels- en betalings-
                                overeenkomst           25.11.1957  31.12.1975
               Turkije          Handelsakkoord          6 . 9.1949 31.12.1975
UEBL           Argentine        Accord commercial
                                et de paiement         25.11.1957  31.12.1975
               Finlande         Accord commercial       8.11.1955  30 . 9.1975
               Pakistan         Accord commercial      15 . 3.1962 31.12.1975
UNITED KINGDOM Cameroon         Agreement on commer­
                                cial and economic
                                cooperation with
                                protocol and exchange
                                of letters             29 . 7.1963 31.12.1975
               Spain            Trade and payments
                                agreement              23 . 6.1948
                                extended by echanges               31.12.1975
                                of notes ending with
                                that of              19/25.6.1952
 ---pagebreak---                         -   4                                             f
ITALIA Afghanistan      Accordo commerciale   10.12,1960      23.11.1975
       Argent ina       Accordo commerciale
                        e scambio di note     25.11.1957      31.12.1975
       Canada           Modus Vivendi
                        commerciale           28 . 4.1948 , 31.12.1975
       Costa Rica       Modus vivendi
                        commerciale e         20 . 2.1953 I
                        Scambio di note       23 , 6.1953  I 12,11.1975
       Giappone         Agreed minutes        31.12.1969      30. 9.1975
       Guatemala        Modus vivendi
                        commerciale            6* 6,1936      31,12.1975
       Irak             Accordo commerciale   30 . 9.1963     30.11.1975
       Malta            Accordo commerciale   28 . 7.1967   ' 31.12.1975
                                              28. 1.1961
       Marocco          Accordo commerciale
                        Protocollo            24. 2.1965   [ 31.12.1975
       Messico          Accordo commerciale
                        Protocollo
                          Scambio di note
                                              15 . 9.1949
                                              28.10.1963
                                              20. 7.1965
                                                           J 31.12.1975
       Pakistan         Accordo commerciale   10. 1.1961      10 . 1.1976
       Paraguay-        Accordo commerciale    8 . 7.1959     23. 1.1976
       Portogallo       Accordo commerciale
                        e scambio di note      4. 3.1961      31.12.1975
                        Scambio di lettere    30.12.1961
       Repubblica araba
       d' Egitto        Protocollo commerciale 29.4.1959      31.12.1975
       Siria            Accordo commerciale   10.11.1955      31.12.1975
       Stati Uniti      Scambio di note       i9. lO. i966
                                              19.10.1966      30 . 9.1975
       Tunisia          Accordo commerciale   23.11.1961   I 31.12.1975
                        e protocolle addi­
                        zionale                2 . 8.1963
 ---pagebreak---                           - 3 -
                                                                       X
        Tunesien         Handelsabkommen und   29 . 1.1960
                                                            31.12,1975
                         Zusatzprotokoll       22.12.1963 )
        Uganda           Hande 1 sabkommen     17 . 3.1964  31.12.1975
        Zent ral afrika-
        nische Republik Wirtschaftsabkommen    29.12.1962   31.12.1975
        Zypern           Hande 1 s abkommen    30.10.1961   31.12.1975
FRANCE  Argentine        Accord commercial
                         et de paiement        25.11.1957   31.12.1975
        Autriche         Accord commercial
                         et protocole          26. 7.1963   31,12.1975
        Espagne          Accord commercial     27.11.1963   31.10.1975
        Iran             Accord commercial et   4* 6.1959
                                                            31.12.1975
                         échange de lettres    28 . 2.1969
        Islande          Accord économique      6.12.1951   31.12.1975
        Israël           Accord commercial     10. 7.1953 ;
                         Protocole             16. 1.1967 ] 31.12.1975
                         Echange de lettres    24.12.1968 ;
        Japon            Accord commercial
                         et protocole          14. 5.1963 \ 10. 1.1976
                         Protocole             26. 7.1966 )
        Mexique          Accord commercial     11 . 7.1950  28.11.1975
                                     m
        Norvège          Accord commercial        3.7.1951
                         Protocole                2.4» i960 31.12.1975
                         Echange de lettres       6.2.1964
        Portugal         Arrangement commercial 25.3*1961   31.12.1975
           Ν
        Sue de           Accord commercial      3 « 3.1949  31.12.1975
        Suisse           Accord commercial     21.11.1967   31.12.1975
        Turquie          Accord commercial     31 . 8.1946  31.12.1975
        Yougoslavie      Accord commercial     25 . 1.1964
                                                            31.12.1975
                         Protocole              6. 5.1970
IRELAND Norway           Trade agreement        2 . 7.1951  31.12.1975
                                                                   ./*
 ---pagebreak---                  - 2 -
Dahome          Wirtschaftsabkommen   19 . 6.19&1    , 31.12.1975
Elfenbeinldista Wirt schaft sabkommen 18.12.1961       31.12.1975
Finnland.       Notenwechsel           3.12.1969        2.12.1975
Gabun           Wirtschaftsabkommen   11 . 7.1962      31.12.1975
Guinea          Wirtschaftsabkommen   19 . 4.1962      31.12.1975
Irak            Handelsabkommen        7.10.1951       13 . 1.1976
Japan           Hande 1 sabkommen      1 . 7.1960      31.12.1975
Kamerun         Handelsabkommen        8 . 3.1962      31 . 12 .,1975
Kenia           Wirtschafts- und
                Handelsabkommen        4.12.1964       31 . 12, 1975
Kongo           Wirtschaftsabkommen   30.10.1962       31.12.1975
Madagaskar      Wirtschaftsabkommen    6 . 6.1962      31.12.1975
Malta           Handelsabkommen und
                Protokoll             29 . 2.1964      31.12.1975
Marokko         Handelsabkommen und
                Eriefwechsel          15 . 4.1961 ) 31.12,1975
                Protokoll             20 . 1.1964 J
Neuseeland      Handelsabkommen       20 . 4.1959      31.12.1975
Niger           Wirt schaft sabkommen 14. 6.1961       31.12,1975
Nigeria         Handelsabkommen       25 . 3.1963      31.12.1975
Norwegen        Handelsabkommen       20.12,1950       31 . 5.1976
Österreich      Hande 1 sabkommen     13 . 5.1954 ;
                Briefwechsel und
                                                   i   31.12.1975
                Protokoll             21 . 1.1963 ;
Obervolta       Wirtschaftsabkommen    8 . 6.1961      31.12.i975
Pakistan        Handelsabkommen und
                Frotokoll              9 . 3.1957      31.12.1975
Paraguay        Handelsabkommen       25 . 7.1955      31.12.1975
Schweiz         Handelsabkommen und
                spätere Zusatz-
                protokolle             2.12.1954       31.12.1975
Sambia          Wirt schaft sabkommen 10.12.1966       31.12.1975
Sierra Leone    Wirtschaftsabkommen   13 . 9» 1963     31.12.1975
Somalia
            • i
                Handelsabkommen       19 , 1.1962      31.12.1975
SUdafrika       Liste der Einfuhr­
                kontingente                            31 . 8.1975
Tansania        Handels - und
                Wirt schaft sabkommen  6 . 9.1962      31.12.1975
Tschad          Wirtschaftsabkommen   31 . 5.1963      31.12.1975
 ---pagebreak---       BILAG   - ANHANG    -  ANNEX  -    ANNEXE  -    ALLEGATO     -    BIJLAGE
  Medlemsstat       Trêdjeland                                               Udlpb efter
                                      Aftalens art og datering
                                                                             forlaengelse
  Mitgliedstaat -   Erittland           Art und Dat tun des                  Ablauf nach
                                            Abkommens                        Verlängerung
  Member state      Third country     Type and date of agreement             Extended
                                                                             until
  Etat membre       Pays tiers         Nature et date de 1' accord           Echéance après
                                                                             reconduction
  Stato membro      Paeso terzo       Natura e dato dell' accordo            Scadenza dopo
                                                                             il rinnovo
' Lid – Staat     ■ I)erde land       Aard en datum van het akkoord          Vervaldatum na
                                                                             verlenging
  BENELUX           Grece             Accord commercial         9 . 3.1960      31 . 1.1976
                    Japon             Accord commercial         8.10.1950
                                      Protocoles
                                      et Agreed minutes
                                                            î
                                                            )  13 . 4.1963    1 31.12.1975
                                      Echange de lettres       30 . 4.1963    3
  ΜΝΜΛΗΚ            Argent ina        Handels- og
                                      betalingsaftale          25.11.1957       31.12.1975
                    Elfenbenskysten   Handelsaftale            23.11.1966        9. 1.1976
                     Irak             Handelsaftale            13 . 1.1960      13 . 1.1976
                     Israël           Handelsaftale            13.11.1952       13.11.1975
                    ^strig            Vareudvekslingsaftale 29.11.1948          28.11.1975
                     Portugal         Vareudve^slingsaftale     2 . 6.1950      31.12.1975
  DEOTSCHLAND        Arabische Republik
                     Ägypten          Abkommen über den
                                      Warenverkehr             18 . 2.1956      31.12.1975
                     Argentinien      Handels- und
                                      Zahlungsabkommen         25.11.1957       31.12.1975
                     Äthiopien        Wirtschafts- und
                                      Handelsabkommen          21 . 4 » 1964    31.12.1975
                     Australien       Liste der Einfuhr­
                                      kontingente                               31.12.1975
                     Brasilien        Handelsabkommen           1 . 7.1955      31.12.1975
                     Ceylon           Handelsabkommen           1 . 4.1955      31.12.1975
                     Chile            Protokoll über Handels-
                                      und Zahlungsverkehr       2.11.1956       31.12.1975
 ---pagebreak---                                  - 3 -
Whereas in these circumstances the Agreements concerned may be extended ,
either expressly or tacitly, for a period not exceeding one year;
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION :
                               article 1
     The trade Agreements between Member States and third countries
listed in the Annex hereto may be expressly or tacitly extended so as
to apply until the dates specified in each case in the said Annex .
                               Article 2
     This Decision is addressed to the Member States .
                                   Done at
                                   Por the Council
                                   The President
 ---pagebreak--- Whereas the Member States concerned have , with a view, to avoiding
interruption in their commercial relations with the third countries
concerned "based on agreement , requested authorization to extend,
expressly or tacitly , the above-mentioned Agreements ;
Whereas authorization should "be granted only to the extent necessary
to maintain commercial relations between the Member States and the
third countries concerned pending the replacement of the relevant
Agreement by Community agreements to be negotiated ; whereas such
authorization cannot therefore affect the obligation incumbent upon
the Member States to avoid , and where appropriate eliminate , any
incompatibility "between their Agreements and the provisions of
Community law ;
Whereas , moreover , the provisions of the instruments to be extended
must not during the period under consideration constitute an obstacle
to the implementation of the common commercial policy;
Whereas the Member States concerned have declared that the express
or tacit extension of the Agreements in question would not constitute
an obstacle either to the opening of Community negotiations with the
third countries concerned to the transfer of the commercial content
thereof to Community agreements , nor would it , during the period under
consideratidn , hinder the adoption of the measures necessary to
complete the standardization of the import arrangements applied by the
various Member States ;
Whereas at the conclusion of the consultations provided for in Article
2 of the Decision of 16 December 1969 it was established , as the
foresaid declarations by the Member States confirm , that the provisions
of the Agreements to be,, expressly or tacitly extended would not during
the period under consideration constitute an obstacle to the
implementation of the common commercial policy;
 ---pagebreak---                                       Proposal for
                                  COUNCIL DECISION
                    ■ imutaurdiz&is rtfcks "express «r Ttsoit "artenaion
                      of certain trade agreements concluded
                 between the Member States and third countries
  THE COUNCIL OP THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
 Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
  Community , and in particular Article 113 thereof ;
 Having regard to the Council Decision of 16 December 1969 ( l ) on
  the progressive standardization of agreements concerning commercial
  relations between Member States and third countries and on the
 negotiation .;.! of Community a greements , and in particular Article 3
  thereof ;
 Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ;
 Whereas tacit extension beyond the end of the transitional period
  has already been authorized in the case of the Agreements listed in
  the Annex hereto by the Council tinder its Decision <£?                        S19$9) «(2 ).
  26 June 1969 ( 3 ) , 30 June 1969 ( 4 ), 15 September 1969 ( 5 ), 17 Octo-
  ber 1969 ( 6 ), 8 December 1969 (7 ) » 20 December 1969 ( 8 ), 6 Pebruary 1970 ( 9)»
  8 June 1970 ( 10 ), 13 July 1970 ( li ), 29 September 1970 ( 12), 23 Novem­
  ber 1970 ( 13 ), 25 October I97I ( 14), 18 October 1972 ( 15 ) and 22 October
  1973 ( 16 ) !
  ( 1 ) OJ n° L 326 du 29.12.1969, P. 39            ( 13 OJn *   L 262 du 3*12.1970 , p. 18
  ( 2 ) OJ n° L 43 du 20.2.1969 , P. 15               14 OJ n°   L 248 du 9.11.1971 , P. 7
  ( 3 ) OJ n° L 159 du 1.7.1969 , P. 20             ( 15 OJ îs c L 250 du 6.11.1972 , p. 1
  ( 4) 0?n° L I69 du 10.7.1969 » P * 2              ( 16 OJ n°   L 301 du 30.10.1973 , P. 30
  ( 5 ) 07 n* L 238 du 23.9.1969 , P. 9
  ( 6 ) 0j n° L 266 du 24*10.1969 , p. 32
  ( 7 ) 0Jn° L 323 du 24.12 B 1969 , p. 10
  ( 8 ) OJ n* L 6 du 9.1.1970 , p. 1
  ( 9 ) OJ n° L 36 du 14.2.1970 , p. 29
( ÎO) OJ n° L 133 du 18.6.1970 , p. 14
( 11 ) OJ     L 157 du 18.7.1970 , p. 29
( 12 ) OJ n° L 225 du 12.10.1970 . P. 24
                                                                             •A
 ---pagebreak---                                     * 6 ^
              In this respect the Commission may exercise discretion
since , as a result of the consultation and according to Article 3
of the Decision of 16.12 .1969 » it is the Commission 's responsibility
to judge whether it is opportune to propose the extension of
agreements ( l ).
( 1 ) The text specifies that if there are no obstacles to the imple­
      mentation of the common policy , the Commission may propose that
      the Council authorize the Member States to extend their agree­
      ments' with third countries .                      '  , :
 ---pagebreak---             Therefore , whenever there is in existence a Community
agreement with a third country , the provisions of that agreement
replace the provisions of any national agreements with the same
country which are incompatible or identical with the Community
agreements provisions . Moreover , most Community agreements contain
a clause explicitly confirming this replacement .
            It can therefore result that when a Community agreement
has in this way superseded all the provisions of a national agreement ,
the extension , of such a national agreement would be contrary to
Community law , and could not be authorised under Section I of the
Council 's decision of 16.12 .19^9 .
7.          Having established that there are no obstacles to the
implementation of a common commercial policy , the expediency of
maintaining in force the national agreements should be examined ,
taking into account the general interests of the Community .
            With one or two exceptions , it can be stated in general
that provisions negotiated on a multilateral basis such as the most-
favoured-nation clause and commitments by Member States under the
                                      m
common commercial and agricultural policies go far beyond the content
of a large number of the agreements still in force . Lists of quotas ,
where they appear have mostly lapsed .
            It may thus be concluded that the importance of formally
maintaining these agreements in force is more psychological and
political than commercial .
                                                                     /.
 ---pagebreak--- vis-a-vis the third countries in question , so as to take the necessary
steps to ensure both the proper functioning of the common market and
the community administration of external regulations . If the Commission
establishes , in the light of the aforementioned study , that extending
national agreements with Japan beyond 31 December 1975 ( the expiry
d^te .for all these agreements ) would hinder the implementation of the
common commercial policy , then it would clearly be unable to propose
such an extension .
            One of the problems to be discussed during the detailed
examination of the various agreements between Member States and third
countries is that of the compatibility of the common commercial
policy with the maintenance in force of agreed quotas vis-a-vis third
countries . Since the negotiation of trade concessions comes henceforth
under the jurisdiction of the Community the existence of such quotas ,
which generally entail reciprocal concessions , may adversaly affect
the bargaining position of the Community and the working of the
common market , thereby hindering the setting up of a common trade
policy 4 .
6.          Another point which the Community has raised on several
occasions ( latterly during the recent Permanent Representatives'
Committee discussions ) is the problem of the existence of Community
agreements alongside national agreements with the same third
countries .     -  .
            The putting into effect of the common trade policy means
replacing national, trading agreements by Community agreements or by
autonomous Community measures . In order to enable this replacement
to be made gradually , allowance was made in the Council 's decision
of l6.12.1969 for . authorising provisional extension of national
agreements even beyond the end of the transition period .
                                                                  /.
 ---pagebreak---                In this connection , the Commission would draw attention
  to the solution which was found for the current trade agreements
  between Member States and state«*trading countries ,         •;.?
                                                        . i .
  p.           Therefore , the Commission must , as part of the comprehensive
  re-examination of all the other current agreements with third
  countries , and in consultation with experts from the Member States ,
  check in respect of which agreements the necessary condition for
  extension ( namely the absence of obstacles to implementation ), albeit
  inadequate by itself *,; is .£u^L'filled .
               One of the problems here concerns maintaining in force -
  agreements between Member States and Japan . The Comaiission proposes
  making a detailed examination of how far tho delay in implementing
- the common commercial policy vis-a-vis Japan is due to maintaining .
: in force national , agreements . •                                1  ;;;
         • . • One " could doubtless say that from a legal point of view :
  the situation as regards the presence of "obstacles " is fairly
  similar to that obtaining for the Eastern European countries , even
  though certain political aspects are entirely different .
                                             m
          - -Consequently , if the rules of analogy and a criterion .
  which was strictly coherent from the legal angle were applied to the
  case in point , termination of the agreements in question would have
  to be considered . The Commission is nonetheless conscious of the
  serious and difficult problems posed by the relations between the
  Community and Japan and is aware of what would be the consequences
  of denouncing certain Member States 1 bilateral agreements at this,
  stage . The Commission has therefore been led to propose authorizing
  the Member States to extend these agreements for. a further year and
  intends making a detailed examination of this whole set of . problems
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 2
      T  *,
         ' The Commission made its position on the subject known
during the discussion on the second "proposal relating to the second
batch for 197^ at the Permanent Representatives Committee meeting
of 12 and 19 June 197^*
              The subject was also discussed at the Consultation Committee
meeting of 21 June 197^ during examination of the agreements to be
extended , which are enumerated in the annex to this proposal *
              The results of these discussions have led the Commission
to consider holding consultations from now on involving the joint
examination of all agreements between Member States and the same third
countries or group of third countries , regardless of the final date
for notice of termination . This will enable the Commission to judge
more comprehensively than in the past how far maintaining these
agreements in fo.rce conforms to current rules and regulations and .
how desirable .it . is from the point of view of Community interests#
              This examination , which the Commission intends to under­
take. in the very near future , will of course remain part of the
consultation procedure specified under Title I of the Council
Decision of 16 December 19^9 * - *                         '> ' ■
            ■ As in the past , the prime task of the examination will
of course be to check , in accordance with Article 3 of tke Decision
of 16 December 19&9 » whether the provisions in the Member States
agreements constitute an obstacle to implementation of the common ■
commercial policy . In this respect , the Commission will' have, the
responsibility of deciding whether or not the maintenance of certain
agreements would be! likely to hinder subsequent progress in this
field .                                                 v.            - .
 ---pagebreak---                             EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
1.          In implementation of Article 3 of the Council Decision of
16 December 1969"^ on the progressive standardization of agreements
concerning commercial relations between Member States and third
countries and on the negotiation of Community agreements , the
Commission proposes to the Council that the Member States should be
authorized to extend , expressly or tacitly , the trade agreements
annexed to the attached proposal for a Council decision . The agreements
in question constitute the third batch for 197^ and expire or are due
to be terminated between 1 August and 1 November 197^-
            The prior consultation specified in Article 2 of this
Decision took place on 21 June 197 ^» The outcome was the recognition
that the conditions under which the agreements could be extended for a
further year had been fulfilled .
2.          The Commission stresses that the agreements involved do not
include those with the Eastern European countries , for which , according
to decisions adopted previously , notice of termination must be given
by the Member States concerned so that they can be terminated before
the end of 197^» The agreements in question are the following :
                                                 final date for notice
        , .                                        of termination :
Denmark/China               of 1,12.1957               31 .8 .1974-
Denmark/Czechoslovakia      of 17 - 5-1972             30.9»197 ^
Ireland/Romania             of  20 . 7*1971            30.9 -197 ^
Ireland/USSR       .     .. of  28.12.1973             30.9.197 ^
United Kingdom/Albania      of  10 . 6.1925            30.9-197^
United Kingdom/Poland '     o£  21 . *f.l971           30.9*197^
3»          The Commission considers it appropriate to point out , more­
over , that the proposals for authorizing the Member States to renew
or extend , expressly or tacitly , certain agreements in this batch for
a further one-year period are by no means indicative . of any position
it might adopt next time these agreements come up for -renewal*
1 ) O.J. no. L 326 of 29.12.1969 , p.39