BOVINE MEAT ARRANGEMENT 147
ARRANGEMENT REGARDING BOVINE MEAT
PREAMBLE
Convinced that increased international co-operation should be carri ed out in such
a way as to contribute to the achievement of greater liberali zation, stability and
expansion in international trade in meat and live animals;
Taking into account the need to avoid serious disturbances in inter national trade
in bovine meat and live animals;
Recognizing the importance of production and trade in bovine meat and liv e
animals for the economies of many countries, especially for certain developed and
developing countries;
Mindful of their obligations to the principles and objectives of the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (hereinafter referred to as " General Agreement"
or "GATT");1
Determined , in carrying out the aims of this Arrangement to implement th e
principles and objectives agreed upon in the Tokyo Declarat ion of Ministers, dated
14 September 1973 concerning the Multilateral Trade Negoti ations, in particular as
concerns special and more favourable treatment for develop ing countries;
The participantsin the present Arrangementhave, throught heirrepresentatives,
agreed as follows:
PART ONE
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article I
Objectives
The objectives of this Arrangement shall be:
(1) to promote the expansion, ever greater liberalization a nd stability of the
international meat and livestock market by facilitating th e progressive dismantling
of obstacles and restrictions to world trade in bovine meat a nd live animals,
_______________
¹This provision applies only among GATT contracting partie s.148 TOKYO ROUND AGREEMENTS
including those which compartmentalize this trade, and by i mproving the
international framework of world trade to the benefit of bot h consumer and
producer, importer and exporter;
(2) to encourage greater international co-operation in all aspects affecting the trade
in bovine meat and live animals with a view in particular to gr eater rationalization
and more efficient distribution of resources in the interna tional meat economy;
(3) to secure additional benefits for the international tra de of developing countries
in bovine meat and live animals through an improvement in the possibilities for
these countries to participate in the expansion of world tra de in these products
by means of inter alia :
(a) promoting long-term stability of prices in the context of a n expanding
world market for bovine meat and live animals; and
(b) promoting the maintenance and improvement of the earnings of developing
countries that are exporters of bovine meat and live animals ;
the above with a view thus to deriving additional earnings, b y means of securing
long-term stability of markets for bovine meat and live anim als;
(4) to further expand trade on a competitive basis taking int o account the traditional
position of efficient producers.
Article II
Product Coverage
This Arrangementapplies to bovine meat. For the purpose of t his Arrangement,
the term "bovine meat" is considered to include:
CCCN
(a) Live bovine animals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01.02
(b) Meat and edible offals of bovine animals, fresh, chilled or
frozen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ex 02.01
(c) Meat and edible offals of bovine animals, salted, in brine, dried
or smoked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ex 02.06
(d) Other prepared or preserved meat or offal of bovine
animals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ex 16.02
and any other product that may be added by the International M eat Council, as
established under the terms of Article V of this Arrangement , in order to accomplish
the objectives and provisions of this Arrangement.BOVINE MEAT ARRANGEMENT 149
Article III
Information and Market Monitoring
1. All participants agree to provide regularly and promptly to the Council, the
information which will permit the Council to monitor and ass ess the overall situation
of the world market for meat and the situation of the world mar ket for each specific
meat.
2. Participating developing countries shall furnish the in formation available to them.
In orderthat these countriesmay improve their data collect ion mechanism, developed
participants, and any developing participants able to do so , shall consider
sympathetically any request to them for technical assistan ce.
3. The information that the participants undertake to provi de pursuant to paragraph 1
of this Article, according to the modalities that the Counci l shall establish, shall include
data on past performance and current situation and an assess ment of the outlook
regarding production (including the evolution of the compo sition of herds),
consumption, prices, stocks of and trade in the products ref erredto in Article II, and
any other information deemed necessary by the Council, in pa rticular on competing
products. Participants shall also provide information on t heir domestic policies and
trade measures including bilateral and plurilateral commi tments in the bovine sector,
and shall notify as early as possible any changes in such poli cies and measures that
are likely to affect international trade in live bovine anim als and meat. The provisions
of this paragraphshall not require any participant to discl ose confidential information
which would impede law enforcement or otherwise be contrary to the public interest
or would prejudice the legitimate commercial interests of p articular enterprises, public
or private.
4. The secretariat of the Arrangement shall monitor variati ons in market data, in
particular herd sizes, stocks, slaughterings and domestic and international prices, so
as to permit early detection of the symptoms of any serious im balance in the supply
and demand situation. The secretariat shall keep the Counci l apprized of significant
developments on world markets, as well as prospects for prod uction, consumption,
exports and imports.
Note: It is understood that under the provisions of this Article, the Council
instructs the secretariat to draw up, and keep up to date, an i nventory of all
measures affecting trade in bovine meat and live animals, in cluding commitments
resulting from bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral n egotiations.150 TOKYO ROUND AGREEMENTS
Article IV
Functions of the International Meat Council
and Co-operation between the Participants to this Arrangem ent
1. The Council shall meet in order to:
(a) evaluate the world supply and demand situation and outlook on the basis of
an interpretative analysis of the present situation and of p robable developments
drawn up by the secretariat of the Arrangement, on the basis o f documentation
provided in conformity with Article III of the present Arran gement, including
that relating to the operation of domestic and trade policie s and of any other
information available to the secretariat;
(b) proceed to a comprehensive examination of the functioning of the present
Arrangement;
(c)provide an opportunity for regular consultation on all matt ers affecting
international trade in bovine meat.
2. If after evaluation of the world supply and demand situati on referred to in
paragraph 1 ( a) of this Article, or after examination of all relevant infor mation pursuant
to paragraph 3 of Article III, the Council finds evidence of a serious imbalance or
a threat thereof in the international meat market, the Counc il will proceed by
consensus, taking into particular account the situation in developing countries, to
identify, for considerationby governments,possible solu tions to remedy the situation
consistent with the principles and rules of GATT.
3. Depending on whether the Council considers that the situa tion defined in
paragraph 2 of this Article is temporary or more durable, the measures referred to
in paragraph 2 of this Article could include short-, medium- , or long-term measures
taken by importers as well as exporters to contribute to impr ove the overall situation
of the world market consistent with the objectives and aims o f the Arrangement, in
particular the expansion, ever greater liberalization, an d stability of the international
meat and livestock markets.
4. When considering the suggested measures pursuant to para graphs 2 and 3 of this
Article, due consideration shall be given to special and mor e favourable treatment
to developing countries, where this is feasible and appropr iate.
5. The participants undertake to contribute to the fullest p ossible extent to the
implementation of the objectives of this Arrangement set fo rth in Article I. To this
end, and consistent with the principles and rules of the Gene ral Agreement, participantsBOVINE MEAT ARRANGEMENT 151
shall, on a regular basis, enter into the discussions provid ed in Article IV:1 ( c) with
a view to exploring the possibilities of achieving the objec tives of the present
Arrangement, in particular the further dismantling of obst acles to world trade in
bovine meat and live animals. Such discussions should prepa re the way for subsequent
consideration of possible solutions of trade problems cons istent with the rules and
principles of the GATT, which could be jointly accepted by al l the parties concerned,
in a balanced context of mutual advantages.
6. Any participant may raise before the Council any matter¹ a ffecting this
Arrangement, inter alia , for the same purposes provided for in paragraph 2 of this
Article. The Council shall, at the request of a participant, meet within a period of
not more than fifteen days to consider any matter¹ affecting the present Arrangement.
PART TWO
Article V
Administration of the Arrangement
1.International Meat Council
An International Meat Council shall be established within t he framework of the
GATT. The Council shall comprise representatives of all par ticipants to the
Arrangement and shall carry out all the functions which are n ecessary to implement
the provisions of the Arrangement. The Council shall be serv iced by the GATT
secretariat. The Council shall establish its own rules of pr ocedure, in particular the
modalities for consultations provided for in Article IV.
2.Regular and special meetings
The Council shall normally meet at least twice each year. How ever the Chairman
may call a special meeting of the Council either on his own ini tiative, or at the request
of a participant to this Arrangement.
_______________
¹Note: It is confirmed that the term "matter" in this paragraph inc ludes any matter which is covered
by multilateral agreements negotiated within the framewor k of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations, in
particular those bearing on export and import measures. It i s further confirmed that the provisions of
Article IV, paragraph 6, and this footnote are without preju dice to the rights and obligations of the Parties
to such agreements.152 TOKYO ROUND AGREEMENTS
3.Decisions
The Council shall reach its decisions by consensus. The Coun cil shall be deemed
to have decided on a matter submitted for its consideration i f no member of the Council
formally objects to the acceptance of a proposal.
4.Co-operation with other organizations
The Council shall make whatever arrangements are appropria te for consultation
or co-operation with intergovernmental and non-governmen tal organizations.
5.Admission of observers
(a) The Council may invite any non-participating country to be represented at
any of its meetings as an observer.
(b) The Council may also invite any of the organizations referr ed to in
paragraph 4 of this Article to attend any of its meetings as an observer.
PART THREE
Article VI
Final provisions
1.Acceptance ¹
(a) This Arrangement is open for acceptance, by signature or ot herwise, by
governments members of the United Nations, or of one of its sp ecialized
agencies and by the European Economic Community.
(b) Any government² accepting this Arrangement may at the time of acceptance
make a reservation with regard to its acceptance of any of the provisions in
the present Arrangement. This reservation is subject to the approval of the
participants.
(c) This Arrangement shall be deposited with the Director-Gen eral to the
CONTRACTING PARTIES to the GATT who shall promptly furnish a
certified copy thereof and a notification of each acceptanc e thereof to each
participant. The texts of this Arrangement in the English, F rench and Spanish
languages shall all be equally authentic.
_______________
¹The terms "acceptance" or "accepted" as used in this Articl e include the completion of any domestic
procedures necessary to implement the provisions of this Ar rangement.
²For the purpose of this Arrangement, the term "government" is deemed to include the competent
authorities of the European Economic Community.BOVINE MEAT ARRANGEMENT 153
(d) The entry into force of this Arrangement shall entail the ab olition of the
International Meat Consultative Group.
2.Provisional application
Any government may deposit with the Director-Generalto the CONTRACTING
PARTIES to the GATT a declaration of provisional applicatio n of this Arrangement.
Any government depositing such a declaration shall provisi onally apply this
Arrangement and be provisionally regarded as participatin g in this Arrangement.
3.Entry into force
This Arrangement shall enter into force, for those particip ants having accepted
it, on 1 January 1980. For participants accepting this Arran gement after that date,
it shall be effective from the date of their acceptance.
4.Validity
This Arrangement shall remain in force for three years. The d uration of this
Arrangement shall be extended for further periods of three y ears at a time, unless
the Council, at least eighty days prior to each date of expiry , decides otherwise.
5.Amendment
Except where provision for modification is made elsewhere i n this Arrangement
the Council may recommend an amendment to the provisions of t his Arrangement.
The proposed amendment shall enter into force upon acceptan ce by the governments
of all participants.
6.Relationship between the Arrangement and the GATT
Nothing in this Arrangement shall affect the rights and obli gations of participants
under the GATT.¹
7.Withdrawal
Any participant may withdraw from this Arrangement. Such wi thdrawal shall
take effect upon the expiration of sixty days from the date on which written notice
of withdrawal is received by the Director-Generalto the CON TRACTING PARTIES
to the GATT.
______________
¹This provision applies only among GATT contracting partie s.