THE COUNCIL

HAVING REGARD to Articles 1(c), 2(d) and 5(b) of the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of 14th December 1960;

HAVING REGARD to the Resolution of the Ministerial Council of 17th November 1961, in which the importance of reducing barriers to the exchange of goods and services as a means of promoting economic growth and providing expanding markets is stressed;

HAVING REGARD to the Report of the Trade Committee of 20th June 1962, on the Relaxation of Existing Import Restrictions in Sectors other than Agriculture and Fisheries [Doc. No. C(62) 111];

CONSIDERING it essential to encourage and assist Member countries in their individual efforts to accelerate removal of quantitative restrictions, and recognising that the achievement of these objectives might in certain cases be facilitated by concerted action within the Organisation;

I.            RECOMMENDS that Member Governments undertake to re-examine the quantitative restrictions they still apply in sectors other than agriculture and fisheries, taking into account the considerations mentioned in paragraphs 12 and 13 of the Report of the Trade Committee referred to above and their obligation to extend the benefit of liberalisation on a non-discriminatory basis, in accordance with their international commitments;

II.           INVITES Member Governments

1.            to submit to the Organisation, as soon as possible and at the latest by 1st October 1962, the results of the examination referred to in I above, giving details of the measures of liberalisation and relaxation they have taken or propose to take;

2.            to give the Organisation any relevant information on import restrictions retained in force because of difficulties which they consider might be solved through international co-operative action in the O.E.C.D. by means of confrontation exercises;

3.            to draw the attention of the Organisation to any restrictions still applied to imports in other Member countries in cases where they regard liberalisation or relaxation as specially important to the expansion of trade or the achievement of the other aims of the Organisation and which should be the subject of a confrontation exercise.

III.          INSTRUCTS the Trade Committee

1.            to examine at its next session the submissions foreseen under paragraph 1 of II above;

2.            to take all necessary measures for the examination of information under paragraphs 2 and 3 of II above as soon as it is received;

3.            to continue the work connected with documentation on import restrictions.

In adopting this Recommendation, the Council:

1.            AGREED that:

(a) the date for submission of countries’ replies under paragraph 1 of Section II of this Recommendation should be 1st October instead of 15th October;

(b) Iceland and Turkey, which are receiving loans from the O.E.C.D., should be exempted from action under paragraph 1 of Section II of this Recommendation.

2.            NOTED the statement by the Delegate for the United States circulated under the reference C(62)128 and AGREED to revert to points raised.