Nov 9, 1984

THIRD WORLD COMPLAINS OF NEGLECT OF ITS ISSUES IN GATT.

GENEVA, NOVEMBER 7 (IFDA/CHAKRAVARTHI RAGHAVAN) -- The Council of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade began Wednesday detailed review of the progress in the implementation of the GATT work programme for the 80’s laid out by GATT Ministers in their declaration of 1982.-

The Council's review and any recommendations from this are for the annual meeting of the GATT Contracting Parties (CPs), scheduled for November 26 to 29.-

On a number of issues on the work programme, the Ministers had mandated the CPs to take further decisions and actions, at their 1984 session.-

When the Council had a general discussion Wednesday morning on the work programme, before taking up individual items on it, Third World countries complained that the Council's agenda had "missed out" a number of important issues on the work programme of interest and concern to them, while mentioning those being pushed by major trading blocs (like the services and counterfeit goods issues).-

The items on the work programme, which did not find a place on the Council's agenda this week included:

-- GATT rules and activities relating to the Third World countries, including the more effective implementation of part IV of GATT, relating to trade and development of the Third World, and the 1979 GATT decision for "differential and more favourable treatment, reciprocity and fuller participation of developing countries",

-- Elimination or reduction of tariff escalation on processed and semi-processed products, particularly relating to exports of the Third World,

-- The review of the adequacy and effectiveness of various agreements or arrangements in the multilateral trade negotiations, and the obstacles to their acceptance by "interested parties",

-- Maximum possible notifications to GATT by countries, of exports of goods banned for sale on their domestic markets on grounds of human health and safety, and possible appropriate GATT actions on such exports, and

-- Actions that may be needed in GATT over "dual-pricing" practices and rules of origin.-

Chile and Egypt among others raised this issue.-

The United States said while it took the "entire work programme" seriously, it would be in difficulties if the issues not previously on the Council's agenda were to be discussed.-

Third World countries privately said that simply because some of these items were "uncomfortable" to the major trading powers, and had been suggested by smaller Third World countries who did not have the clout to pursue them, they appear to have been "laid aside".-