International Trade Files, Lot 57D284, Box 108
United States Delegation Paper (First Session of the Contracting Parties)
undated
Habana Meeting of the Parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
The first meeting of the parties to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was held at Habana, Cuba from February 28 to March 24 pursuant to Article XXV of the General Agreement.
The following action was taken:
- (1)
- Article XXIV of the General Agreement was amended so as to facilitate the formation of arrangements similar to customs unions.
- (2)
- Article XIV of the Agreement was modified so as to incorporate new rules regarding discrimination for balance of payments reasons.
- (3)
- Certain technical corrections were made in the schedules of tariff concessions.
- (4)
- It was agreed to modify certain procedural requirements regarding the contemplated supersession of Article I and Part II of the General Agreement by the ITO Charter when the latter comes into effect as a result of ratification by governments.
- (5)
- Certain provisions of the Agreement relating to the accession of new contracting parties were modified. These modifications permit countries to become contracting parties to the Agreement upon approval by two-thirds of the existing contracting parties and define the obligations between the existing contracting parties and the countries becoming contracting parties with reference to the undertaking of tariff negotiations and the application of the provisions of the Agreement.
- (6)
- A decision was taken to permit France to conclude with Italy a customs union or interim agreement for such a union provided that the union or interim agreement conforms to specified requirements.
A second meeting of the parties to the General Agreement has been scheduled to be convened at Geneva not before July 1 and not later than August 15 of this year.