AGREEMENT for the conclusion of negotiations between the European Community and Australia under Article XXIV:6

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND AUSTRALIA,

DESIRING to bring their GATT Article XXIV:6 negotiations to conclusion on the basis of a reasonable and mutually satisfactory compromise, and

FURTHER DESIRING to strengthen the close partnership in commercial and economic matters between the European Community and Australia,

AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS:

A. The European Community shall incorporate in its new Schedule CLX, for the customs territory of the EUR 15, the concessions that were included in the previous Schedule LXXX as modified by the European Community Schedule annexed to the Marrakesh Protocol to the General Agreement, 1994 (dated 15 April 1994).

B. To settle the current GATT Article XXIV:6 negotiations on agriculture the following has been agreed and as regards the tariff rate quotas will apply with effect from 1 January 1996:

- add 2 000 tonnes to the allocation for Australia under the EC tariff rate quota for 'high quality` beef,

- add 1 150 tonnes to the allocation for Australia under the EC tariff rate quota for sheepmeat,

- add 750 tonnes to the allocation for Australia under the EC tariff rate quota for cheddar,

- tariff rate quota 63 000 tonnes of semi-milled and wholly milled rice 1006 30 00 at ECU 0/t (erga omnes) (1),

- tariff rate quota 20 000 tonnes of husked (brown) rice 1006 20 55 at ECU 88/t (erga omnes), (2),

- tariff rate quota 21 000 tonnes of oats 1004 00 50 at ECU 89/t (erga omnes).

The Australian Government accepts the basic components of the European Community's approach to adjusting the GATT obligations of the EUR 12 and those of Austria, Finland and Sweden following the recent enlargement of the Community:

- netting out of export commitments,

- netting out of tariff quotas,

- aggregation of domestic support commitments.

The appropriate legal modalities of implementation remain to be agreed.

C. Final provisions

This Agreement shall enter into force on the date of signature.

Consultations will be held with regard to the matters in this Agreement at any time at the request of either Party.

Signed at Brussels this twenty-second day of December in the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-five.

For the Government of Australia

On behalf of the Council of the European Union