FRANCO-GERMAN TRADE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16674, 2 March 1925, Page 9

FRANCO-GERMAN TRADE.

A MODUS VIVENDI TARIFF. fAustraliau and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received March 2, 1 p.rh.) . PARIS. March 1. Fra neo-German representatives have signed a .nine months modus vivendi tariff preparatory to the ultimate eonolii.sion of a, general commercial treaty. The negotiations for this, which have been proceeding for soverat months, liaye been characterised by a series of deadlocks, necessitating the frequent return of the German delegates to Berlin. It is believed that political factors to some, extent have been responsible for the difficulties: also the fact that the Germans insisted on general ‘‘most favored nation” treatment which the French were precluded, from granting undgr the, Customs law of 1919, which, however, was circumvented by the limitation of the most favored' nation clauses to specific categories of goods, while in certain cases preferential tariffs will be reached by gradual stages to enable French industry to acclimatise itself thereto. Ttegnrdng the products of Alsace-Lorraine exported to Germany, France temporarily obtains preference, lint the question will he reopened liefm'e the conclusion of the treaty.