ANNECY INFORMATION OFFICE
Hotel Verdun, ^nneoy
P R E S S
RELEASE
U.N. No.
Annecy No. 29
9 May 1949
GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE
Third. Session of the C o n t r a c t i n g P a r t i e s
CONTRACTING PARTIES TO GATT NOTIFIED OF FRENCH-ITALIAN
CUSTOMS UNION
The following statement by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the French Republic has been transmitted to the
Contracting Parties :
"As you are aware, a Customs Union treaty between
^rancft and Italy was signed at Paris on 26 March 1949.
Th^ t-^xt provides, in principle, for the application of
a common tariff by the two countries and the abolition
of
customs duties in their commercial exchanges
within one year from the date of exchange of ratifications.
"In the case of France, this exchange of ratifications
is subject to the adoption by the French Parliament of
a special law.
"In accordance with the agreement reached with the
Italian Government, the two Governments will not fail, at
the appropriate ti.. e, to bring the treaty to the notice
of the Contracting Parties to the General Agreement under
the conditions stipulated therein."
With the receipt of the above information the
Contracting Parties are now informed of the following Customs
Unions (in various stages of operation or preparation) :
The Benelux Customs Union
-
Belgium, Netherlands,
Luxembourg
The South Africa-Southern Rhodesia Customs Union
The Scandianavian Customs
Union
The Colombia Customs Union -
Norway, Sweden, Denmark.
Colombia, Venezuela,
Ecuador, Panama
The "^ranee-Italy Customs Union.