INTERNATIONAL BOVINE MEAT AGREEMENT
TheParties tothisAgreement,
Convinced thatincreased international cooperation should becarried outinsuchawayasto
contribute totheachievement ofgreater liberalization, stability andexpansion ininternational trade
inmeatandliveanimals;
Taking intoaccount theneedtoavoid serious disturbances ininternational tradeinbovine meat
andliveanimals;
Recognizing theimportance ofproduction andtrade inbovine meatandliveanimals forthe
economies ofmany countries, especially forcertain developed anddeveloping countries;
Mindful oftheirobligations totheprinciples andobjectives oftheGeneral Agreement onTariffs
andTrade 1994 (hereinafter referred toas"GATT 1994");1
Determined,incarryingouttheaimsofthisAgreementtoimplementtheprinciplesandobjectives
agreed uponintheTokyo Declaration ofMinisters dated 14September 1973, inparticular asconcerns
special andmore favourable treatment fordeveloping countries;
Hereby agree asfollows:
Article I
Objectives
Theobjectives ofthisAgreement shallbe:
1. topromote theexpansion, evergreater liberalization andstability oftheinternational meat
andlivestock market byfacilitating theprogressive dismantling ofobstacles andrestrictions
toworld trade inbovine meatandliveanimals, including those which compartmentalize this
trade, andbyimproving theinternational framework ofworld trade tothebenefit ofboth
consumer andproducer, importer andexporter;
2. toencourage greater international cooperation inallaspects affecting thetradeinbovine meat
andliveanimalswithaviewinparticulartogreaterrationalizationandmoreefficientdistribution
ofresources intheinternational meateconomy;
3. tosecure additional benefits fortheinternational trade ofdeveloping countries inbovine meat
andliveanimals through animprovement inthepossibilities forthese countries toparticipate
intheexpansion ofworld trade inthese products bymeans ofinteralia:
(a) promoting long-term stability ofprices inthecontext ofanexpanding world market
forbovine meatandliveanimals; and
(b) promoting themaintenance andimprovement oftheearnings ofdeveloping countries
thatareexporters ofbovine meatandliveanimals;
1Thisprovision shallapply onlyamong Parties thatareMembers oftheWorld Trade Organization.-2-
theabove withaviewthustoderiving additional earnings, bymeans ofsecuring long-term
stability ofmarkets forbovine meatandliveanimals;
4. tofurther expand trade onacompetitive basis taking intoaccount thetraditional position of
efficient producers.
Article II
Product Coverage
ThisAgreement applies totheproducts listed intheAnnex andtoanyother product thatmay
beadded bytheInternational MeatCouncil (hereinafter alsoreferred toas"theCouncil"), asestablished
under theterms ofArticle V,inorder toaccomplish theobjectives andprovisions ofthisAgreement.
Article III
Information andMarket Monitoring
1. Each Party shallprovide regularly andpromptly totheCouncil theinformation which will
permit theCouncil tomonitor andassess theoverall situation oftheworld market formeatandthe
situation oftheworld market foreachspecific meat.
2. Developing country Parties shallfurnish theinformation available tothem. Inorder thatthese
Parties mayimprove theirdatacollection mechanism, developed country2Parties, andanydeveloping
country Parties abletodoso,shallconsider sympathetically anyrequest tothemfortechnical assistance.
3. Theinformation thattheParties undertake toprovide pursuant toparagraph 1,according to
themodalitiesthattheCouncilshallestablish,shallincludedataonpastperformanceandcurrentsituation
andanassessment oftheoutlook regarding production (including theevolution ofthecomposition of
herds), consumption, prices, stocks ofandtradeintheproducts referred toinArticle II,andanyother
information deemed necessary bytheCouncil, inparticular oncompeting products. Parties shallalso
provide information ontheirdomestic policies andtrade measures including bilateral andplurilateral
commitments inthebovine sector, andshallnotify asearly aspossible anychanges insuchpolicies
andmeasures thatarelikely toaffect international tradeinbovine meatandliveanimals. Theprovisions
ofthisparagraph shallnotrequire anyParty todisclose confidential information which would impede
lawenforcement orotherwise becontrary tothepublic interest orwould prejudice thelegitimate
commercial interests ofparticular enterprises, public orprivate.
4. TheSecretariat oftheWorld Trade Organization (hereinafter referred toas"Secretariat") shall
monitor variations inmarket data, inparticular herdsizes, stocks, slaughtering anddomestic and
international prices, soastopermit early detection ofthesymptoms ofanyserious imbalance inthe
supplyanddemandsituation.TheSecretariatshallkeeptheCouncilapprizedofsignificantdevelopments
onworld markets, aswellasprospects forproduction, consumption, exports andimports. The
Secretariat shalldraw upandkeepuptodateaninventory ofallmeasures affecting trade inbovine
2InthisAgreement theterm"country" isdeemed toinclude theEuropean Communities aswell
asanyseparate customs territory Member oftheWorld Trade Organization.-3-
meatandliveanimals, including commitments resulting from bilateral, plurilateral andmultilateral
negotiations.
Article IV
Functions oftheInternational Meat Council
andCooperation between theParties
1. TheCouncil shallmeetinorder to:
(a) evaluate theworld supply anddemand situation andoutlook onthebasis ofan
interpretative analysis ofthepresent situation andofprobable developments drawn
upbytheSecretariat, onthebasisofdocumentation provided inconformity withArticle
III,including thatrelating totheoperation ofdomestic andtrade policies andofany
other information available totheSecretariat;
(b) proceed toacomprehensive examination ofthefunctioning ofthisAgreement;
(c) provide anopportunity forregular consultation onallmatters affecting international
trade inbovine meat.
2. Ifafterevaluation oftheworld supply anddemand situation referred toinparagraph 1(a),
orafterexamination ofallrelevant information pursuant toparagraph 3ofArticle III,theCouncil
findsevidence ofaserious imbalance orathreat thereof intheinternational meatmarket, theCouncil
willproceed byconsensus, taking particular account ofthesituation indeveloping countries, toidentify
forconsiderationbygovernments3possiblesolutionstoremedythesituationconsistentwiththeprinciples
andrules ofGATT 1994.
3. DependingonwhethertheCouncilconsidersthatthesituationdefinedinparagraph2istemporary
ormore durable, themeasures referred toinparagraph 2could include short-, medium-, orlong-term
measures taken byimporters aswellasexporters tocontribute toimprove theoverall situation ofthe
world market consistent withtheobjectives andaimsofthisAgreement, inparticular theexpansion,
evergreater liberalization, andstability oftheinternational meatandlivestock markets.
4. When considering thesuggested measures pursuant toparagraphs 2and3,dueconsideration
shallbegiven tospecial andmore favourable treatment todeveloping countries, where thisisfeasible
andappropriate.
5. TheParties undertake tocontribute tothefullest possible extent totheimplementation ofthe
objectives ofthisAgreement setforthinArticle I.Tothisend,andconsistent withtheprinciples and
rulesoftheGATT1994,Partiesshall,onaregularbasis,enterintothediscussionsprovidedinparagraph
1(c)withaviewtoexploring thepossibilities ofachieving theobjectives ofthisAgreement, inparticular
thefurther dismantling ofobstacles toworld trade inbovine meatandliveanimals. Suchdiscussions
should prepare thewayforsubsequent consideration ofpossible solutions oftradeproblems consistent
withtherules andprinciples oftheGATT 1994, which could bejointly accepted byalltheParties
concerned, inabalanced context ofmutual advantages.
3Forthepurpose ofthisAgreement, theterm"government" isdeemed toinclude thecompetent
authorities oftheEuropean Communities.-4-
6. AnyParty mayraisebefore theCouncil anymatter4affecting thisAgreement, interalia,for
thesame purposes provided forinparagraph 2.TheCouncil shall, attherequest ofaParty, meet
within aperiod ofnotmore thanfifteen daystoconsider anymatter affecting thisAgreement.
Article V
Administration
1. International Meat Council
AnInternational Meat Council shallbeestablished within theframework oftheWorld Trade
Organization (hereinafter referred toas"theWTO"). TheCouncil shallcomprise representatives of
allParties totheAgreement andshallcarry outallthefunctions which arenecessary toimplement
theprovisions oftheAgreement. TheCouncil shallbeserviced bytheSecretariat. TheCouncil shall
establish itsownrulesofprocedure. TheCouncil may, asappropriate, establish subsidiary working
groups orother bodies.
2. Regular andspecial meetings
TheCouncilshallnormallymeetasappropriate,butnotlessthantwiceeachyear.TheChairman
maycallaspecial meeting oftheCouncil either onhisowninitiative orattherequest ofaParty to
thisAgreement.
3. Decisions
TheCouncilshallreachitsdecisionsbyconsensus.TheCouncilshallbedeemedtohavedecided
onamattersubmittedforitsconsiderationifnomemberoftheCouncilformallyobjectstotheacceptance
ofaproposal.
4. Cooperation withother organizations
TheCouncil shall make arrangements asappropriate forconsultation orcooperation with
intergovernmental andnon-governmental organizations.
5. Admission ofobservers
(a) TheCouncil mayinvite anynon-Party government toberepresented atanyofits
meetings asanobserver andmaydetermine rules ontherights andobligations of
observers, inparticular withrespect totheprovision ofinformation.
(b) TheCouncil mayalsoinvite anyoftheorganizations referred toinparagraph 4toattend
anymeeting asanobserver.
4Itisconfirmed thattheterm"matter" inthisparagraph includes anymatter which iscovered by
Multilateral Trade Agreements annexed totheAgreement Establishing theWTO, inparticular those
bearing onexport andimport measures.-5-
Article VI
Final provisions
1. Acceptance
(a) ThisAgreement isopen foracceptance, bysignature orotherwise, byanyState or
separate customs territory possessing fullautonomy intheconduct ofitsexternal
commercialrelationsandoftheothermattersprovidedforintheAgreementEstablishing
theWTO (hereinafter referred toas"WTO Agreement"), andbytheEuropean
Communities.
(b) Reservations maynotbeentered without theconsent oftheother Parties.
(c) Acceptance ofthisAgreement shallcarry denunciation oftheArrangement Regarding
Bovine Meat, done atGeneva on12April 1979, which entered intoforce on
1January 1980, forParties having accepted thatArrangement. Such denunciation
shalltakeeffect onthedateofentry intoforce ofthisAgreement forthatParty.
2. Entry intoforce
ThisAgreement shallenterintoforce forthose Parties having accepted it,onthedateofentry
intoforce oftheWTO Agreement. ForParties accepting thisAgreement afterthatdate, itshallbe
effective from thedateoftheiracceptance.
3. Validity
ThisAgreement shallremain inforce forthree years. Theduration ofthisAgreement shall
beextended forfurther periods ofthree years atatime, unless theCouncil, atleasteighty daysprior
toeachdateofexpiry, decides otherwise.
4. Amendment
Except where provision formodification ismade elsewhere inthisAgreement, theCouncil
mayrecommend anamendment totheprovisions ofthisAgreement. Theproposed amendment shall
enter intoforce upon acceptance byallParties.
5. Relationship between theAgreement andother Agreements
Nothing inthisAgreement shallaffect therights andobligations ofParties under theGeneral
Agreement onTariffs andTrade ortheWTO Agreement.5
6. Withdrawal
AnyParty maywithdraw from thisAgreement. Such withdrawal shalltakeeffect upon the
expiration ofsixtydaysfromthedateonwhich written notice ofwithdrawal isreceived bytheDirector-
General oftheWTO.
5Thisprovision shallapply onlyamong Parties thatareMembers oftheWTO ortheGATT.-6-
7. Deposit
Until theentry intoforceoftheWTO Agreement, thetextofthisAgreement shallbedeposited
withtheDirector-GeneraltotheCONTRACTINGPartiestoGATTwhoshallpromptlyfurnishacertified
copythereof andanotification ofeachacceptance thereof toeachParty. ThetextsofthisAgreement
intheEnglish, French andSpanish languages shallallbeequally authentic. ThisAgreement, andany
amendments thereto, shall, upon theentry intoforce oftheWTO Agreement, bedeposited withthe
Director-General oftheWTO.
8. Registration
ThisAgreement shallberegistered inaccordance withtheprovisions ofArticle 102ofthe
Charter oftheUnited Nations.
Done atMarrakesh onthisfifteenth dayofApril nineteen hundred andninety four.-7-
ANNEX
PRODUCT COVERAGE
ThisAgreement applies tobovine meat. Forthepurpose ofthisAgreement, theterm"bovine
meat" isconsidered toinclude thefollowing products, asdefined bytheHarmonized Commodity
Description andCoding System ("Harmonized System") established bytheCustoms Co-operation
Council6:
HScode
01.02 -Livebovine animals:
0102.10 -Pure-bred breeding animals
0102.90 -Other
02.01 -Meat ofbovine animals, fresh orchilled:
0201.10 -Carcasses andhalf-carcasses
0201.20 -Other cutswithbone-in
0201.30 -Boneless
02.02 -Meat ofbovine animals, frozen:
0202.10 -Carcasses andhalf-carcasses
0202.20 -Other cutswithbone-in
6Forthose Parties which havenotyetimplemented theHarmonized System, thefollowing Customs
Co-operation Council Nomenclature applies withrespect toArticle II:
CCCN
(a)Livebovine animals 01.02
(b)Meat andedible offals ofbovine animals, fresh, chilled or
frozen ex02.01
(c)Meat andedible offals ofbovine animals, salted, inbrine, dried
orsmoked ex02.06
(d)Other prepared orpreserved meatoroffalofbovine
animals ex16.02-8-
0202.30 -Boneless
02.06 -Edible offalofbovine animals, fresh, chilled orfrozen:
0206.10 -Ofbovine animals, fresh orchilled
-Ofbovine animals, frozen:
0206.21 -Tongues
0206.22 -Livers
0206.29 -Other
02.10 -Meat andedible meatoffal, salted, inbrine, dried or
smoked; edible flours andmeals ofmeatormeatoffal:
0210.20 -Meat ofbovine animals
ex0210.90 -Edible offalofbovine animals
16.02 -Other prepared orpreserved meat, meatoffalorblood:
1602.50 -Ofbovine animals