2
d)
There was agreement that work on agricultural requests and
offers should be stepped up and that the work of the agricultural
sub-groups on meat and dairy products should be actively pursued, and
that the attempt to negotiate a new International Wheat Agreement
should be continued.
e)
There was some narrowing of differences in a number of technical
areas over non-tariff measures codes of conduct (e.g.
government
procurement, standards and customs valuation).
f)
It was agreed that further consideration should be given to
possible measures providing special and differential treatment for
developing countries in all areas of the negotiations where feasible
and practical. In practice, however, it is becoming clear that the
room for manoeuvre in this area is very limited.
g)
It was noted that all the main participants had now tabled
industrial tariff offers and that these would now be examined to
establish a general reciprocal balance. The EEC has tabled requests for
improvements to the US and Japanese offers, concentrating on
exceptions and less than formula cuts where there is a Community
interest. The Commission have also told the Japanese that the Community
expects reductions which would balance the real value of its offer;
Mr Ushiba said that Japan was considering a supplementary offer. The
Americans have tabled requests for improvements in the EEC offer.
2
Meanwhile, the Community has been considering its own offer
to cut its industrial tariffs in the light of the initial US and
Japanese offers. After a series of meetings in Brussels (including
the Council of Ministers on 4 April) agreement has been reached on a
long list of products which the Community will withdraw from its
original offer. This so-called "hard-core list" of withdrawals has now
been presented in Geneva. It reduces the overall trade-weighted