Nov 9, 1984
CONDITIONS FOR OBSERVES IN GATT?
GENEVA, NOVEMBER 7 (IFDA) – The idea of imposing conditions on countries seeking observer status in GATT are to be further examined in detail.-GATT at present has 91 members, and some 61 observers – from countries and international and inter-governmental organisations.- The U.S. and some other Industrial countries had raised this issue earlier this year, and the chairman was asked to consult on what the observer status should mean in GATT, and whether any conditions should be imposed.- The chairman of the GATT Council, Felipe Jaramillo, in reporting on these consultations, said that a number of questions had to be looked into in detail – a possible time-limit on observer status, the degree and formal participation in GATT work by observers, the issue of observers making available to other Contracting Parties full information on their own trade policies and regimes, the possibility of financial contribution by observers, and the general question of the benefits that would accrue to GATT system itself and to the observers.- Mexico, an observer in GATT, expressed some concern at the possible imposition of conditions on an observer, which seemed to underlie the current consultations.-