GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE"

Annice Hampton
5 years ago
Views:

1 GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE RESTRICTED L/ October 1961 Limited Distribution THIRD ANNUAL REVIEW UNDER ARTICLE XVIII: 6 Background Paper Prepared by the Secretariat 1. Paragraph 6 of Article XVIII provides for an annual review of all measures applied pursuant to the provisions of Sections C and D of the revised Article XVIII. The Second Annual Review under Article XVIII:6 was carried out during the sixteenth session of the CONTRACTING PARTIES held during May and June The Third Annual Review was to be undertaken at the eighteenth session but for practical reasons was postponed until the nineteenth session. 2. For the purpose of the review the governments acting under Article XVIII:C have been requested to supply the necessary information covering the most recent period. Pending receipt of such information the secretariat has prepared the present background paper on the basis of information already available to it. It is distributed subject to verification and amendment by the government concerned. Any additional information which may be received from the governments concerned will be circulated separately. 3. The revised tt of Article XVIII came into force in October Since that time a number of releases have been granted to the Government of Ceylon and one release has been granted to the Government of Cuba, under the provisions of Section C of the Article (no action under Section D of the Article has been taken by any contracting party). A complete list of such releases is given in Ann I. A. OPERATION OF RELEASES GRANTED TO CEYLON 4. Of the releases granted to Ceylon (see list in the Ann), the only items which have been brought under control under the Industrial Products Act are: Plywood chests Sarongs, sarees and cotton piece goods Asbestos cement products (item under (a) in the list) (items under (f) in the list) (item under (J) in the list) 1See BISD, Ninth Supplement, pages 101 and 104.

2 Page 2 Plywood chests 5. Plywood chests were first brought under regulation unde- the Industrial Products Act on 13 March At the twelfth session of the CONTRACTING a PARTIES in the autumn of 1957 the release was tended for a period of five years, piring on 13 March The maximum standard ratio was fixed at 1 local to 4 imported. The maximum domestic availability assigned with respect to this release authorizes total sales of 652,000 domesticallyproduced chests each year. 6. As shown in the table below, production of plywood chests has shown significant increases since the release was first granted and it has been possible to decrease cost of production. However, while the local product, on account of its greater strength and resistance to borer attack, is considered to possess advantages over imported plywood chests, prices of domestically-produced plywood chests continue to be above the landed cost of imported chests. The economies from increased production have largely been offset by increased wages paid. Domestic price of CIF prices per Year Production plywood chests plywood chest (full, without (full, without lining) lining) Rs.cts. Rs.cts , , , , , , , ,000 (estimated) The standard ratio applied at the end of 1960 was 1 local to 7 imported. It is considered likely that this ratio will have to be raised in future years approximately to the maximum authorized ratio of 1 local to 4 imported. Production is pected to increase to approximately 800,000 plywood chests both in 1961 and in 1962 with production increasing eventually to 1,200,000 chests a year. Consumption of plywood chests has increased from 3,433,927 in 1959, to 3,782,000 in In 1961, consumption is pected to reach 3,852,000 and in 1962, 3,922,000.

3 Page 3 8. The local product continues to be faced with resistance from trade and consumers, so that it is not considered probable that the regulation of plywood chests under the Industrial Products Act can be discontinued. Sarongs, sarees and cotton piece goods 9. At the thirteenth session or the CONTRACTING PARTIES, Ceylon obtained a release to protect its domestic sarong, saree and cotton piece goods industry, by merging in one common import bracket nineteen items of sarong, saree and piece goods, whether of cotton or of any mixed materials, including artificial mixtures. By action of the Ceylon Government, one additional tariff item ( , certain sarees) was made subject to regulation under the IPA in January A release sanctioning the regulation of this item under the release of 22 vember 1958, was granted by the CONTRACTING PARTIES at their fifteenth session by Decision of 20 vember Following negotiations with a number of contracting parties, Ceylon, in applying the release of 22 vember 1958, empted thirteen specified items of piece goods, which were bound under the GATT in Ceylon's tariff, and were, at first, considered not to be in direct competition with domestic products. At the sixteenth session of the CONTRACTING PARTIES in June 1960, Ceylon applied to include three grades of piece goods of these empted items, namely crepe, satin and hair cord, under the list of ttile items regulated under the IPA. This application was granted after completion of negotiations under paragraph 18 of Article XVIII between Japan and Ceylon (also see Council Decision of 23 September 1960, BISD Ninth Supplement, pages 23 and 24). 10. With respect to the operation of the consolidated release on ttile items it is considered by Ceylon that there is no prospect of relaxing control under the IPA in the immediate future until the local product, output of which is increasing, becomes firmly established in the market. The present standard ratio applied is 1 local to 5 imported. change in the ratio applied is envisaged. 11. Trade and production figures for these items are given in Ann II. Aebestos cement products 12. Asbestos cement products were brought under control under the Industrial Products Act on 20 July 1960 with an initial standard ratio of 5 to 1, i.e. the maximum standard ratio approved by the CONTRACTING PARTIES in the release granted by Decision of 4 June 1960 (BISD Ninth Supplement, pages 22 and 23). The application of the maximum standard ratio permitted under the release was considered necessary to permit the disposal of large unsold stocks of asbestos cement products under the marketing facilities of the IPA.

4 Page 4 B. OPERATION OF RELEASES GRANTED TO CUBA 13. It is. understood that import restriction of henequen and sisal has been continued in Cuba. Detailed information on the operation of the release, the effects of the restrictions on trade etc. will presumably be supplied by the Cuban delegation at the nineteenth session. Annes I List of releases granted under Section C of Article XVIII (revised). II Data on Ceylon Ttile Industry and Imports.

5 Page 5 A Ceylon (a) Tea chests.(b) List of Releases granted under Section C Description Tea- and other chests and shooks including fittings other than metals Crown Corks Release of Article XVIII(Revised) granted by' Decision of: Tariff (subject to the Number terms and conditions set out in...) 28 v.1957 (BISD Sixth Suppl. p. 16) pirationn date of the Release 13 March 1963 Crown Corks three years (c) Rubber Tyres (d) Pneumatic rubber tyres for pedal cycles Pneumatic rubber tubes for pedal cycles Toothbrushes Toothbrushes (e) Electric Light Bulbs (f) Electric bulbs for household use other than torch bulbs, 15 to 100 watts Ttiles (i) Ttile Manufactures Bed linen v.1958 (BISD Seventh Suppl.p.25) five years (p.26) three years v.1958 (BISD 27 Aug Seventh Suppl. pp. 26. and 27) Release Operative Yes Yes 1 years from the date on which the product was first brought under regulation under the Industrial Products Act (I.P.A.)

6 Page 6 Description Tariff Number Release granted by Decision of: (subject to the terms and conditions set out in...) Expiration date of the Release Release Operative Manufactures of artificial silk and synthetic fibre - sarongs v.1958 (BISD Seventh Suppl. pp.26 and 27) 27 Aug Yes Manufactures of artificial silk and synthetic fibre - sarees v.1959 (BISD Eighth Suppl. p.22) Yes Manufactures of cotton sarongs - mill-made v.1958 (BISD Seventh Suppl. pp.26 and 27) Yes Manufactures of cotton sarongs - handloom Yes Manufactures of mixed material, sarongs - mill-made Yes Manufactures of mixed material, sarongs - hand loom Yes Manufactures of cotton camboys, mill-made Yes Manufacturesof cotton camboys, handloom Yes Manufactures of cotton sarees, mill-made Manufactures of cotton sarees, handloom Yes Yes Manufactures of mixed materials sarees, mill-made Yes Manufactures of mixed material sarees, handloom Yes For particulars see tt of the Release.

7 Page 7 Tariff Release granted by Decision of: terms and conditions set out in... ) Description Number (subject to the (ii) Expiration date of the Release Products falling within the following tariff description (in so far as they can be cut into sarees or sarongs. or correspond to the following items: grey cloth, drill, shawls poplin, long cloth, dothies, sheeting, casement, shirting, tussore, ticking and gingham). Cotton piece goods v.1958 (BISD 27 Aug Yes (bleached) Cotton piece goods (dyed) Cotton piece goods (colour woven) Cotton piece goods (printed) Cotton piece goods (others) Seventh Suppl. pp.26 and 27) Release Operative Yes Yes Yes Yes (iii) Products of the following three grades of material: Satin, Hair cord, Crepe (Georgette crepe; Oriental crepe, sheer crepe, flat crepe, pearl crepe, beauty crepe,: Crèpe de Chine) in so far as they.can be cut into sarongs or sarees, falling within the following tariff description (BISD Ninth Suppl. pp. 23 and 24): Piece goods of cotton mixed with less than 50% of other materials Piece goods of arti ficial silk and synthetic fibre including any admixtures Where the artificial silk content is not less than 50% in weight n.e.s v BISD Seventh Suppl. p.27 (as amended); BISD Ninth Suppl. pp. 23 and Aug Yes Yes

8 Page 8 Description Tariff Number Release granted by... Decision of: Expiration (subject to the terms Date of and conditions set the Release out in...) Release Operative (g) Nails and screws (h) Nails and screws other than wire nails of iron and steel Nails and screws, brass and alloys of copper Aluminium hollow-ware Aluminium hollow-ware, domestic v.1959 (BISD Eighth Suppl. pp. 21 and 22) five years three years (i) Aluminium foil Aluminium foil - aluminium lining used in tea packing June 1960 (BISD Ninth suppl. pp. 22 and 23) two years (j) Asbestos cement products Asbestos ridges July 1962 Yes Asbestos sheets Yes Asbestos tiles Yes Building materials of asbestos cement of unfired non-metallic minerals Yes B Cuba Henequen and Sisal Henequen and sisal, raw or manufactured but not skinned, including scrap 4 June 1960 (BISD Ninth Suppl. pp. 25 and 26) 9 August years from the date on which the product was first brought under regulation under the Industrial Products Act.

9 Page 9 ANNEX II Data on Ceylon Ttile Industry and Imports Local Production (in millions of yards) Unit Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Handloom Powerloom Wellawatts Mills National Ttile Corporation Mills (a) 35(a) or or 46 (b) 56(b) Private Unit (a) 119(a) or or 109(b),140(b) te: (a) Commissioning a 15 million yards (2 shifts) (b) Commissioning a 30 million yards (2 shifts) 'Minimum' production on 2 shifts working. capacity capacity mill. mill. 'Maximum' production on 3 shifts working. The domestic availability at the end of 1959 was estimated at 33 million yards which includes 11 million yards backlog of unsold stocks of old sarongs alone.

10 Total Sarongs Total L/1593 Page 10 Imports of Ttiles Piecegoods (million yards) & Cotton Piecegoods (January-June) Fabrics of Colour With less synthetic Total Year Bleach- Dyed Woven Pint- Other Total than 50% Total fibre & ed. ed of other spun glass & material * (Jan.- Jun.) Sarees Sarees, Camboys,Sarongs (million yards) Camboys Year Total Total Sarees Camboys e (Jan.- Sarongs (Jan.-

11 Page 11 Summary (Under the TOTAL SALES Industrial Products Act) Year Sarongs Other Ttiles Total (yds.) (yds') (yds.), , , ,392,326 1,392, ,025,210 2,025, ,685,689 3,685, ,522,571 2,522, ,125,692-3,125, ,327,199 6,690,822 17,018, (Jan.-Jun.) 8,903,668 1,397,780 10,301, one dozen = 24 yards.

GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE

GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE RESTRICTED L/1593/Rev.1 21 vember 1961 Limited Distribution CONTRACTING PARTIES Nineteenth Session THIRD ANNUAL REVIEW UNDER ARTICLE XVIII:6 Background Paper1 l.