DSR 11C
discussion.
However, the French announcement on Saturday
18 June of GATT Article XIX and other safeguard measures
could reopen the question of the mandate within the
Community.
7. On 18 June the French Minister of Agriculture,
M Rossi, made a surprise announcement that France was to
take GATT Article XIX action on 22 June against the products
mentioned in para 4 above. They intend also to take similar
safeguard action against those countries (Lomé and the
Mediterranean associates) with whom the Community has
preferential agreements. Furthermore, they intend to take
action on four more products (dresses and skirts, suits,
trousers and cotton fabric) against Morocco, Tunisia, Spain,
All the French actions Turkey and Mauritius.
came as a great surprise
particularly since they French had not mentioned it in the
Community when they agreed to the mandate the day before the
announcement was made.
8. The French announcement is to be discussed within the
Community today. There are serious doubts about its legality
and it could have economic consequences for other Member
States through deflection of trade and through the fact that
it may amount to a unilateral abrogation of the Community's
textile agreements with third countries. It remains to be
seen whether the Commission will legalise the French action.
There is a serious danger that other Member States, particu-
larly the Dutch, will follow suit and pressure on the
Government to do the same is likely to mount rapidly.
French action could mean that discussion both within the
Community and within the GATT Textiles Committee will be
diverted away from the Community mandate on the MFA itself.
The