WORLD TRADE G/L/109
9September 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-3517)
Original: English COUNCIL FOR TRADE INGOODS
19September 1996
TRADING ARRANGEMENTS WITH MOROCCO
Request foranextension ofawaiver
1. Request
Asprovided forinparagraph 2oftheUnderstanding inrespect ofWaivers ofObligations under
GATT 1994, anywaiver ineffect onthedateofentry intoforceoftheWTO Agreement shallterminate,
unless extended, onthedateofitsexpiry ortwoyears from thedateofentry intoforce oftheWTO
Agreement, whichever isearlier. Asaresult, thewaiver forTrading Arrangements withMorocco,
which had originally been granted foranunlimited time period byDecision ofthe
CONTRACTING PARTIES of19November 19601(hereinafter referred toas"thewaiver"), will
terminate on31December 1996, unless itisextended. Itisrecalled thatthewaiver grants France
aderogationfromtheprovisionsofparagraph1ofArticleIoftheGeneralAgreement(nowGATT1994)
totheextent necessary topermit theapplication onimportation intoFrance ofduty-free tariff quotas
toanumber ofproducts originating inparts oftheterritory oftheKingdom ofMorocco notcovered
bytheprovisions ofparagraphs 2and4ofArticle IoftheGATT 1947 (now theGATT 1994).
TheEuropean Communities herewith request extension ofthewaiver untiltheentry intoforce
oftheEuro-Mediterranean Agreement establishing anassociation between theEuropean Communities
andtheirMember States, oftheonepart,andtheKingdom ofMorocco, oftheother part(hereinafter
referred toas"theEuro-Mediterranean Agreement withMorocco") oruntil 31December 1997,
whichever isearlier.
2. Description ofthemeasures forwhich anextension ofthewaiver isrequested
Themeasures forwhich anextension ofthewaiver isrequested havebeendescribed inthe
original waiver decision. They havenotchanged insubstance.
3. Specific policy objectives pursued
Theoriginal waiver wasrequested inorder toensure thattrade between France andMorocco
could beconducted under uniform trade andexchange regulations, given France 'sright under
paragraphs 2and4ofArticle IoftheGeneral Agreement tomaintain certain preferences foranumber
ofgoods originating intheformer French zoneofMorocco. Thewaiver extended these preferences
totheotherpartsoftheterritory ofMorocco. These trading arrangements withMorocco aimatassisting
thesound economic development ofMorocco, inlightofthetraditionally strong tiesFrance haswith
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it,inamanner consistent withtheobjective oftheWTO andnotatraising undue barriers oratcreating
undue difficulties forthetrade ofother WTO Members. Thisaimcontinues toexist.
4. Reasons fortherequest foranextension ofthewaiver
Theadvantages which Morocco derives fromthesetrading arrangements havebeentaken into
account intheEuro-Mediterranean Agreement withMorocco. Until thedateonwhich theAgreement
enters intoforce, however, there isaneedforthewaiver toremain inforce. Entry intoforce ofthe
Agreement isexpected wellbefore theendof1997. However, inorder nottorequest anextension
foratimeperiod which could intheory beunlimited, theEuropean Communities accept thatshould
entry intoforce oftheAgreement notoccur before theendof1997, arenewal ofthewaiver would
havetoberequested.
5. Continued existence oftheexceptional circumstances justifying thewaiver
Thecircumstancesjustifyingthewaiver,inparticularthetraditionallystrongtiesbetweenFrance
andMorocco andthetrade, financial anddevelopment needs ofthelatter, continue toexist.
6. Fulfilment oftheterms andconditions attached tothewaiver
Theoriginal waiver didnotcontain anyterms andconditions. TheEuropean Communities
accept thatextension ofthewaiver bemade subject totheusualterms andconditions attached towaivers.
Astheextension ofthewaiver isrequested foroneyearatmost, anannual report totheGeneral Council
isnotrequired. TheEuropean Communities wishtoassure theother WTO Members thattheywill,
uponrequest, promptly enterintoconsultations withanyinterested WTO Member withrespect toany
difficulty ormatter thatmayariseasaresult oftheextension ofthewaiver.