No. 197 NAI DT S13915A
Memorandum for the Government by the Department of Industry and Commerce
'Commonwealth Meeting to consider the USA Proposals for Expansion of World Trade and Employment'
Dublin, September 1946
- At its meeting on the 6th September, 1946 the Government decided that Ireland should be represented at a Commonwealth Economic Meeting which is being convened to consider the 'Proposals for Expansion of World Trade and Employment' published by the Department of State of the USA. The Meeting will be held in London and will commence on 3rd October, 1946. Attached (Enclosure 1) are Notes regarding the arrangements proposed for consideration of the 'Proposals'.1
- The American proposals envisage the setting up of an International Trade Organisation, one of the purposes of which will be to promote national and international action for the expansion of the production, exchange and consumption of goods, for the reduction of tariffs and other trade barriers, and for the elimination of all forms of discriminatory treatment in international commerce. A draft Charter for the proposed Organisation has been prepared by the USA and Notes are attached (Enclosure 2)2 on certain Articles of the draft Charter which deal with tariffs, preferences and quantitative restrictions.
- While the Proposals and the draft Charter cover a wide range of subjects relating to trade and commerce (including such matters as restrictive business practices, State trading, marks of origin and customs formalities) the provisions to which it is desired to draw attention are those dealing with tariffs, preferences, quantitative restrictions, subsidies and exchange control.
- The provisions relating to tariffs, preferences and quantitative restrictions are directed towards the lowering of tariffs, the elimination of tariff preferences and the abolition of quantitative restrictions as a means of protection for domestic producers. A memorandum (Enclosure 3) prepared in the Department of Agriculture regarding the possible effects of these provisions on agricultural production is attached.3 This memorandum also refers to the provisions in relation to subsidies. The provisions dealing with Exchange Control are considered in the attached Memorandum (Enclosure 4) prepared by the Department of Finance.4
- It is understood that the proceedings at the forthcoming meeting will consist simply of an exchange of views. The meeting is merely a preliminary to the meeting of the UNO Preparatory Committee to be held on the 15th October, and the latter meeting is itself described as purely 'explanatory and educational'. It is unlikely, therefore, that any specific decisions or recommendations will be proposed or arrived at the Commonwealth meeting, and, this being so, it is less a question of instructing the delegation specifically on particular points as of determining the general attitude which the delegation should adopt in the discussions at the meeting.
- In this regard it is proposed that, while avoiding, as far as possible, exposing this country to the charge of opposing the US plan and obstructing the proposed commercial negotiations between the United States and Britain, the delegation should, where necessary, indicate the points upon which the US proposals are at variance with our trade policies and interests and expressly reserve the Government's attitude with regard to the points in question. It would be desirable, too, that, while avoiding, so far as possible, taking critical initiatives themselves, the delegation should support endeavours by others to secure the amendment of the US proposals in a sense favourable to our interests. It would be clearly understood, however, that the delegation would not be party to any decision or recommendation at the conference without reference for further instructions.
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