7
RESTRICTED
accept equivalent obligations. (The directive comes into force within
the Community in July). The USA and Canada however believe that this
provides an inadequate threshold, insufficient transparency and too
narrow a coverage. There has been discussions of producing a possible
joint text on this subject with the Nordic countries; there has also
been discussion on possible ways of reaching some account of
developing country interests in it.
OTHER NON-TARIFF MEASURES AND OFFERS
18
The major developed and developing countries have presented
detailed requests for the elimination of quantitative restrictions and
liberalisation of customs and documentation procedures and certain other
barriers to trade on which no multilateral solution is currently being
sought. The EEC as well as the major developed countries have
responded to these requests with initial negotiating offers and informal
bilateral discussions are presently being held to carry forward
negotiation on the specific barriers. Progress on these is closely
linked to progress in other areas of the MTN's especially tariffs
and those ntb's on which multilateral solutions are being sought. The
EEC has also addressed specific requests to the East European countries;
these requests, as well as involving specific concessions on access
to information and statistical data contain requests for increases in the
rate of imports by East European countries over the next few years.
DISPUTE SETTLEMENT
19
Dispute Settlement procedure is becoming an increasingly important
aspect of the current MTNs because it covers the whole spectrum of
the negotiations. Not surprisingly it has arisen in each of the various
MTN Groups and Sub-Groups where specific suggestions have been made for
improved procedures in respect of codes as well as in the Framework Group,