CELEX: 51974PC0644
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 with a view to concluding an agreement with that country on trade in hand-made products (handicrafts). (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (74) 644
Vol. 1974/0103
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
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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
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In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF IKE SUSOI2AN COMMUNTOES
                                                          COM(74)644 final
                                                          Brussels , 13 May 197 -r
                       RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
      authorizing the Commission to open negotiations on "behalf of the
               Community with the Kingdom of Laos with a view to
                  concluding an agreement with that country on
                    trade in hand-made products (handicrafts ).
                  ( submitted to the Council "by the Commission)
   COM(74 ) 644 final
 ---pagebreak---                            EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
1.       Following the commitment undertaken in 1967 at the time of the
GATT multilateral negotiations , the Community opened an autonomous
duty-free tariff quota for all countries for hand-made products ( handi­
crafts ) of a total value of 5 million u.a . with an upper limit of
500.000 UcB , per tariff line .
         As part of the implementation of the declaration of intent as
regards trade relations with certain Asian countries , and having regard "r
to the needs of the new Member States in conformity with the Act of
Accession , this Community tariff quota has been doubled for 197^ to the
value of 10 million u.a . with an upper limit of 1 million u.a . per
             1
tariff line •
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 are hand-made .
         India and Pakistan were the first countries to which this tariff
quota applies . In 19&9 an<* 1970 the Community concluded two separate :■
agreements with those countries specifying the conditions for duty-free
importation and a list of products covered by the agreement was established .
3«       The Council concluded two further agreements , one with India and
one with Pakistan ( decision of November 1970 ) , and another with Uruguay
( decision of October 1973)^ to extend the list of products covered by the
( 1 ) Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 3595/73 of 28 December 1973i OJ No L 3^5
      of 31 December 1973
( 2 ) Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 2262/70 of 10 November 1970 , OJ No L 2^5
      of 11 November 1970
( 3 ) Council Regulation ( EEC ) No 2816/73 of 15 October 1973 , OJ No L 291
      of 18 October 1973
 ---pagebreak---                                   - 2 -
old agreements to a number' of other products# Consequently , hand-made
products falling within approximately thirty-one tariff headings are
now eligible for duty-free importation into the Community , -
                                                    I
k.      The Philippines , Thailand , Indonesia , Iran , Sri Lanka and Bangla­
desh have given the required' guarantees and concluded separate agree­
ments with the Community so that currently their products may be imported
duty-free under the said Community tariff quota on the same basis as
those of the other exporting countries referred to »
5.      In a Note Verbale addressed to the Commission on 3 January 1971*
( Annex II ), the Laotian Mission to the European Communities stated that
his Government would like the said quota to be extended to Laos . 1
6.      As the Community tariff quota in question was opened for all
countries the Commission considers that the Community should give a
favourable reply to the Laotian request .
        The same terms as those obtaining under the present agreements
with the above-mentioned countries should therefore be included in the
                                        1
agreement to be negotiated with Laos .
                                                                t      ,
        The Commission thus recommends that , pursuant to Article 113 of
the Treaty , the Council adopt the following draft decision (Annex I ).
-India , Pakistan , the Philippines , Thailand , Indonesia , Iran , Sri Lanka ,
  Uruguay and Bangladesh                                   """"   '
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 aîh&Y i
                   RECOMMENDATION FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
            authorizing the Commission to open negotiations
            on behalf of the Community with the Kingdom of
            Laos with a view to concluding an agreement with
            that country on trade in hand-made products
            ( handicrafts )
THE COUNCIL 0? THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
and in particular Article 113 thereof ,
Having regard to the Recommendation of the Commission ,
Whereas action should be taken upon the Laotian request by opening
negotiations with the Community following which certain craft products
originating in that country may be imported duty-free under the Community
tariff quota for hand-made products ( handicrafts ) opened autonomously
by the Community fcr all countries by Council Regulation (E3C ) No 3595
of 28 December 1973^*
HAS DECIDED AS F0LL0WS :
                              Sole Article
       The Commission is hereby authorized to open negotiations on behalf
of the European Economic Community with the Kingdom of Laos with a view
to concluding an agreement with that country on trade in hand-made pro­
ducts on the same terms as those specified in the agreements concluded
by the Community with other third countries .
Done at Brussels ,                            For the Council
                                              The Président
 OJ No L 365 of 31 December 1973
 ---pagebreak---    ROYAUME DU LAOS                                              AJmEXE II
      MINISTERE
         DES
AFFAIRES ETRANGERES                              Vientiane , le 3 janvier 1274
Monsieur le Directeur General ,
        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 passé 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 ) t
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
"U>s Etats membres do la C oranunaut â Européenne .
 ---pagebreak--- Cette demande est faite conformément aux règlements du Conseil de la
CEE no 2732/72 du 19/12/72 ( tissus fait à la main) et no 2733/72 du
19/t2/72 ( autres produits fait à la main), instituant des contingents
tarifaires pour ces produits .
       Lorsque le Laos sera autorisé à exporter ses produits artisanaux
vers les pays membres de la Communauté , il se conformera aux conditions
stipulées dans les règlements du Conseil de la CEE précités et , en par­
ticulier , à la présentation du Certificat d' Origine dont la signature
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 .