272
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 30ти-MARCH, 1895.
Foreign Office, January 18, 1895.
Notes exchanged between Her Majesty's Agent and Consul-General at Sofia and the Bulgarian Minister for Foreign Affairs, recording an Arrangement between Great Britain and Bulgaria relating to Commerce.
I.
Sir A. Nicolson to M. Natchovits, December 29, 1894.
II.
M. Natchovits to Sir A. Nicolson,
26 December, 1891,
7 January, 1895.
(Translation.)
Sofia, December 29, 1894.
M. LE MINISTRE,
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of the note which your Excellency was good enough to address to me on
November 26 proposing a Commercial Convention for a period of two years with Customs duties of 10 per cent. ad valorem on British imports into Bulgaria.
December 8
I am instructed to inform your Excellency that Her Majesty's Government are prepared to accept the above-mentioned proposal on the following conditions :---
、
1. That British merchandize imported into Bulgaria should enjoy the treatment of the most favoured nation both in regard to transport tariffs or dues, and also in every other respect.
2. That British merchandize should not be subject to any municipal taxes or octroi duties which shall exceed a maximum of 2 per cent. ad valorem, with the exception of certain articles, specified in a tariff agreed upon between the two Governments. It is also understood that, in no circumstances, British merchandize shall pay higher taxes or duties than native merchandize of the same category, or than merchandize of the most favoured nation.
On receipt of a note from your Excellency, conveying the assent of the Bulgarian Government to the above conditions, Her Majesty's Government will consent that, from th January, 1895, British merchandize imported into Bulgaria should be subjected, till th January, 1897, to Customs duties of 10 per cent. ad valorem, together with the additional per cent. hitherto accorded.
13
His Excellency M. Natchorits,
&c.,
&c.,
&c.
I avail, &c.,
(Translation.)
(Signed)
A. NICOLSON.
M. L'AGENT,
Sofia,
26th December, 1894. 7th January, 1895.
In reply to the note which you addressed to me on the 17th (29th) of December, 1894, I have the honour to state that the Anglo-Bulgarian Commercial Arrangement is prolonged for a period of two years, from the 1st (13th) of January, 1895, till the December, 187, during which time British merchandize imported into Bulgaria will be subject to a Customs duty of 10 per cent. ad valorem.
1st 1896
12th January, 1897 1
The Bulgarian Government now declares that British merchandize shall, on Bulgarian territory, enjoy the treatment of the most favoured nation, in regard either to transport tariffs or dues, or to any other matter: That it shall pay no higher taxes or duties than native merchandize of the same category, or than similar produce of the most favoured nations: That it shall not be subject to any municipal tax or octroi duty which shall exceed a maximum of 2 per cent. ad valorem, with the exception of certain articles specified in the existing tariff, agreed upon between the two Governments. Bulgarian merchandize imported into the United Kingdom shall continue to be treated, during the aforesaid period, on the same footing of equality as that of the most favoured nation.
I avail, &c.,
(Signed)
G. D. NATCHOVITS.
Sir A. Nicolson, K.C.I.E.,
&c.,
&c.,
&c.