U.S. GRANTED WAIVER OVER CARIBBEAN PREFERENCES.

Mar 5, 1985

U.S. GRANTED WAIVER OVER CARIBBEAN PREFERENCES.

GENEVA, MARCH 1 (IFDA/CHAKRAVARTHI RAGHAVAN) – The United States has been given a waiver from its obligations under article one of the general agreement in regard to the U.S. Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA).

Under CBERA, the U.S. is to provide duty-free imports of some products, from some of the Caribbean countries, into the U.S.A.

Under article one of GATT, the U.S. would have been obliged to extend the same to other countries under the most-favoured-nation principle.

The request for waiver was voted on by a postal ballot, at the request of the U.S.

The waiver secured 52 votes in favour, two against and two abstentions.

Under the general agreement, the waiver request must obtain two-thirds majority of those voting, and half of the GATT’s ninety on Contracting Parties.