21
was likely to be exceeded in the course of bilateral negotiations; in that connexion, the member States reiterated their intention of making every effort to increase trading opportunities for countries in the process of economic development.
18. The spokesman for the European Economic Community also recalled that a large proportion of cotton textile imports into the Community occurred in the liberalized sector and that it was reasonable to assume, based on the experience of recent years, that imports would normally increase in that sector by between 9,000 and 10,000 tons over the estimated 1962 figure of 16,000 tons. The target figure of 25,000 to 26,000 tons for the sector already liberalized, which seemed reasonable, could not, of course, be considered otherwise than as a forecast and could not jeopardize any application of the escape clauses provided in the Arrange-
ment.
19. The Committee took note of the statement by the spokesman for the European Economic Community and, in particular, of the fact that while the figure of 12,000 tons was the maximum which the Community was able to write into the Arrangement, it was likely that in practice that figure would be exceeded. 20. In connexion with the fact that, in Annex A, the percentage figure was for the European Economic Community as a whole, the Committee noted the assu- rance given by the spokesman for the Community that where exports of cotton textiles from participating countries to the markets of certain member States were not subject to quantitative restrictions they would continue to enjoy such unrestricted access, as provided in the Arrangement.
21. The representative for Austria informed the Committee that his Government would, in due course, communicate to the Cotton Textiles Committee, for inclu- sion in this Annex, the percentage increases in its imports of cotton textiles which would be determined through bilateral negotiations.
ANNEX B
22. The references to bilateral agreements in this Annex do not mean any agree- ment on restraint arising out of the invocation of paragraph A of the short-term arrangement.
23. Where such comparisons are implied in this Annex, these should be a com- parison between one level of actual imports and another level of actual imports and a comparison between one level of actual exports and another level of actual exports.
24. The representative of the United States pointed out that the formula in this Annex might create difficulties for his Government as regards a limited number of items coming from a limited number of exporting countries where imports are substantial in relation to domestic consumption. The United States had in mind a procedure which, it felt, would be acceptable to the exporting countries con- cerned and which would solve these difficulties should the need arise during the period of the Long-Term Arrangement. The United States Government would be
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