The Council of Ministers, key policy-making body of the European Economic Community, approved today a mandate for a third round of talks with Israel for a special trade agreement. The third round is expected to get underway within ten days.
The mandate consists of a series of specific directives to EEC negotiators. These directives grant some Israeli requests for tariff reductions on a number of vital industrial and farm exports but evade the highly important subject of semi-manufactured products imported from member countries of the six-nation European Common Market, finished in Israel and then re-exported to the Euromart countries.
The Council approved 20 per cent cuts on customs over three years on 23 Israeli exports on which member states will also accelerate the lowering, whenever applicable, of national tariffs toward “common external tariffs.” These items include bathing suits, avocadoes, grapefruit, bromine and its derivatives, stockings, men’s suits made from synthetic fibers, asbestos, cement and glass for greenhouses. Together, they represent an important percentage of Israel’s total exports to the Euromart countries.
Most of the provisions of the mandate were disposed of quickly during the 60-minute meeting but a sharp discussion took place between delegates from France and Italy over Israel’s orange exports. The mandate provision on this export provided that discussions will be held in the mixed committee of Israeli and EEC negotiators if an agreement with another country should adversely affect Israel’s orange exports.
Provisions also was made in the mandate for protection of Israel’s EEC export interests in the coming “Kennedy” round of talks between the EEC and the United States on tariff agreements. The EEC negotiators were instructed to try to protect Israel’s interests.
Israeli sources in Brussels expressed satisfaction with the fact that the mandate had finally been approved but indicated they expected that long and difficult negotiations would have to take place before a working agreement was achieved.
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