[Untitled]
The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the French Republic, considering it appropriate to supplement by a new additional Agreement the Commercial Agreements signed between the two countries, at Washington, on May 28, 1898, and August 20, 1902, respectively, have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, to wit:
- The President of the United States of America, the Honorable Elihu Root, Secretary of State of the United States; and
- The President of the French Republic, His Excellency J. J. Jusserand, Ambassador of the French Republic to the United States of America,
Who, after an exchange of their respective full powers, found to be in due and proper form, have agreed upon the following articles:
Article I.
It is agreed, on the part of the French Government, that the application of the duties of the general tariff to coffee, cacao, chocolate, vanilla and other food products known in the French tariff law as “denrées coloniales de consommation,” except sugar and its byproducts and tobacco, products of the United States, including Porto Rico, shall be conditionally suspended and that the said products shall be admitted into France and Algeria at the rates of the minimum tariff or at the lowest rates applied to the like products of any other foreign origin.
In addition, mineral oils from the United States and coming under the decree of July 7, 1893, shall upon entry into France and Algeria enjoy the benefits of the lowest rates of duty.
But it is expressly understood that these concessions may be withdrawn in the discretion of the President of the French Republic whenever additional duties beyond those now existing and which may be deemed by him unjust to the commerce of France shall be imposed by the United States on products of France.
Article II.
It is reciprocally agreed on the part of the United States, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the United States Tariff Act of 1897, that the rates of duty heretofore imposed and collected, under the said Act, on Champagne and all other French sparkling wines upon entering the United States and the Island of Porto Rico shall be conditionally suspended and, instead, the following duties shall be imposed and collected, to wit:
On Champagne and all other sparkling wines, in bottles containing not more than one quart and more than one pint, six dollars per dozen; containing not more than one pint each and more than one-half pint, three dollars per dozen; containing one-half pint each or less, one dollar and fifty cents per dozen; in bottles or other vessels containing more than one quart each, in addition to six dollars per dozen bottles on the quantities in excess of one quart, at the rate of one dollar and ninety cents per gallon.
[Page 330]But it is expressly understood that this concession may be withdrawn in the discretion of the President of the United States whenever additional duties beyond those now existing and which may be deemed by him unjust to the commerce of the United States shall be imposed by France on products of the United States.
Article III.
It is further agreed that, inasmuch as complaints have arisen in both countries regarding the effect of the regulations in force in the respective countries affecting the admission of each other’s products, and to the end that if there be in the regulations of either country any provisions which unnecessarily restrict trade, such provisions may be modified, and the cause of complaint removed, a commission of three experts shall be appointed by the Government of the United States and a like commission of three experts shall be appointed by the Government of France. Such Commissions shall in conference each with the other inquire into and ascertain fully the existing conditions in each country as bearing upon the necessity of the regulations affecting the trade of the other country and as bearing upon the practicability of reciprocal tariff concessions. Each commission shall report to its own Government thereon.
It is further agreed that upon the basis of the report so made the two Governments shall enter upon an exchange of views to the end that if possible all cause of complaint in their respective regulations regarding the admission of any of the products of either country to the other may be removed.
Article IV.
This additional Agreement shall take effect and be in force on and after the first day of February, one thousand nine hundred and eight, and shall continue in force so long as the Agreements signed on May 28, 1898, and August 20, 1902, shall remain in force.