6
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1987
MR CARTLAND TOLD DELEGATES THAT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO WAIT UNTIL A MEASURE HAD BEEN TAKEN - THE DAMAGE WILL HAVE BEEN DONE BY THEN. +THIS FORUM MUST BE AN ACTIVE BODY THAT CAN RECEIVE WARNINGS OF IMPENDING ACTIONS WHILST THERE IS STILL TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM.+
ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT THE BILL WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION, HE SAID: THIS BILL PURPORTS TO DETERMINE THAT IMPORTS OF ALL TEXTILES AND TEXTILE PRODUCTS AND OF NON-RUBBER FOOTWEAR AS A WHOLE, ARE CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY TO THE U.S. DOMESTIC PRODUCERS.
+ON THE BASIS OF THAT BLANKET ASSESSMENT THE BILL PROVIDES FOR QUOTAS ON IMPORTS FROM ALL SOURCES - UNDER EACH AND EVERY CATEGORY. THE TEXTILES QUOTAS WOULD GROW AT ONE PER CENT PER ANNUM BUT THE FOOTWEAR QUOTAS WOULD REMAIN AT 1986 TRADE LEVELS.
+THE DURATION OF THESE MEASURES WOULD BE INDEFINITE BUT THERE WOULD BE A REVIEW AFTER 10 YEARS. COMPENSATION TO AFFECTED FOREIGN SUPPLIERS IS ENVISAGED ONLY IN THE FORM OF TEXTILE AND FOOTWEAR TARIFF REDUCTIONS LIMITED TO 10 PER CENT AND PHASED OVER FIVE EQUAL ANNUAL STAGES. THE PRESIDENT WOULD BE PRECLUDED FROM NEGOTIATING TEXTILE AND FOOTWEAR TARIFF REDUCTIONS UNDER ANY OTHER U.S. LEGAL PROVISION.+
MR CARTLAND TOLD DELEGATES THAT +THIS BLATANTLY PROTECTIONIST BILL IS CLAIMED BY ITS SPONSORS TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 19 OF THE GATT AND IT IS ALREADY GAINING SUPPORT IN CONGRESS UNDER THE CLAIM THAT IT IS A MORE REASONABLE AND MODERATE MEASURE THAN THE JENKINS BILL ON WHICH THE PRESIDENTIAL VETO WAS SO NARROWLY SUSTAINED LAST YEAR.
+
+ IN FACT THERE IS ALMOST NOTHING ABOUT THE BILL WHICH COULD BE REGARDED AS IN ANY WAY CONSISTENT WITH EITHER THE GATT OR THE MULTI-FIBRE ARRANGEMENT.+
CITING JUST ONE EXAMPLE MR CARTLAND SAID THAT ARTICLE 19 OF GATT PROVIDED FOR EMERGENCY ACTION ON IMPORTS OF PARTICULAR PRODUCTS BUT NOT ONLY IS THERE NO EMERGENCY, THE U.S. INDUSTRY IS IN A RELATIVELY HEALTHY AND STABLE CONDITION.+
THE BILL PLACED THE URUGUAY ROUND OF TALKS ON GATT IN JEOPARDY, HE SAID. IT WOULD, IF ENACTED, CLEARLY VIOLATE THE STANDSTILL COMMITMENT. THE ONE PER CENT GROWTH PROVISION COULD NOT BE HONOURED IN ANY OF THE EXISTING MFA BILATERAL AGREEMENTS.
+ IT IS A MEASURE WHICH GOES BEYOND THAT WHICH IS NECESSARY TO REMEDY SPECIFIC SITUATIONS (EVEN IF IT WOULD BY SOME REMOTE STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION BE REGARDED AS THE LEGITIMATE EXERCISE OF GATT RIGHTS).+
/+IT WOULD