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(ii) To remove a temporary surphis of the like domestic product,' Or, if there is no substantial domestic production of the like product, of 'a domestic product for. which the imported product can be directly substituted, by making the surplus available to certain groups of domestic consumers free of charge or at prices below the current market level; or (iii) To restrict the quantities permitted to. be produced of any animal product the production of which is directly dependent, wholly or mainly, on the imported commodity, if the domestic production of that commodity is relatively negligible. Any contracting party applying restrictions on the importation of any product pursuant to subparagraph (c) of this paragraph shall give public notice of the total quantity or value of the product permitted to be imported during a specified future period and of any change in such quantity or value. Moreover, any restrictions applied under (i) above shall not be such as will reduce the total of imports relative to the total of domestic production, as compared with the proportion which might reasonably be expected to rule between the two in the absence of restrictions. In determining this proportion, the contracting party shall pay due regard to the proportion prevailing during a previous representative period and : to any special factors which may have affected of may be affecting the trade, in the product concerned. ■ - .3. Throughout Articles XI, XII, XIII, and XIV the terms V import restrictions " or " export restrictions " include restrictions made effective through State trading operations. Article XII Restrictions to Safeguard the Balance of Payments . 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article XI, any con tracting "party, in order to safeguard its external financial position , and balance o payments, .may restrict the quantity or . value of merchandise permitted to b imported, subject to the provisions of the following paragraphs of this Article. 2. (a) No contracting party shall institute, maintain, or intensify impor restrictions under this Article except to the -extent necessary—(i) To forestall the imminent" threat of, or to stop, a serious decline in it monetary reserves; or • • • (ii) In the case of a contracting party with very low monetary reserves, t achieve a reasonable rate of increase in its reserves. ■ Due regard shall be paid in either case to any special factors which may t affecting the contracting party's reserves or need for reserves, including, whei special external Credits or other resources are available to it, the need to provic for the appropriate, use of such credits or resources. . (b) Contracting parties applying restrictions under subparagraph (a) of th paragraph shall progressively relax them as such conditions improve, maintainir them only to the .extent that the conditions specified in that subparagraph st