611.60 d 31/32a
The Secretary of State to the Finnish Minister (Åström)
Sir: I have the honor to make the following statement of my understanding of the agreement reached through recent conversations held at Washington on behalf of the Government of the United States and the Government of Finland with reference to the treatment which the United States shall accord to the commerce of Finland and which Finland shall accord to the commerce of the United States.
These conversations have disclosed a mutual understanding between the two Governments which is that in respect to import and export [Page 95] duties and other duties and charges affecting commerce, as well as in respect to transit, warehousing and other facilities, and the treatment of commercial travelers’ samples, the United States will accord to Finland, and Finland will accord to the United States, its territories and possessions, unconditional most-favored-nation treatment; and that in the matter of licensing or prohibitions of imports or exports, each country, so far as it at any time maintains such a system, will accord to the commerce of the other treatment as favorable, with respect to commodities, valuations and quantities, as may be accorded to the commerce of any other country.
It is understood that,—
No higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into or disposition in the United States, its territories or possessions, of any articles the produce or manufacture of Finland than are or shall be payable on like articles the produce or manufacture of any foreign country;
No higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into or disposition in Finland of any articles the produce or manufacture of the United States, its territories or possessions, than are or shall be payable on like articles the produce or manufacture of any foreign country;
Similarly, no higher or other duties shall be imposed in the United States, its territories or possessions, or in Finland, on the exportation of any articles to the other or to any territory or possession of the other than are payable on the exportation of like articles to any foreign country;
Every concession with respect to any duty, charge or regulation affecting commerce now accorded or that may hereafter be accorded by the United States or by Finland, by law, proclamation, decree or commercial treaty or agreement, to any third country will become immediately applicable without request and without compensation to the commerce of Finland and of the United States and its territories and possessions, respectively:
Provided that this understanding does not relate to
- (1)
- The treatment which the United States accords or may hereafter accord to the commerce of Cuba or any of the territories or possessions of the United States or the Panama Canal Zone, or the treatment which is or may hereafter be accorded to the commerce of the United States with any of its territories or possessions or to the commerce of its territories or possessions with one another.
- (2)
- The treatment which Finland accords or may hereafter accord to the commerce of Esthonia or the treatment which Finland accords to France in Article 6 of the Treaty of Commerce concluded between Finland and France on July 13, 1921.
- (3)
- Prohibitions or restrictions of a sanitary character or designed to protect human, animal or plant life or regulations for the enforcement [Page 96] of police or revenue laws of the United States or of Finland relating to merchandise the importation or transportation of which is prohibited.
The present arrangement, in so far as it concerns import and export duties, shall become operative on the 15th day after the day I shall have received your confirmation of this agreement; in respect of all other matters it shall become operative when the Government of Finland shall have notified the Government of the United States that the legislative measures necessary for the purpose have been completed in Finland.
The present arrangement shall, unless sooner terminated by mutual agreement, continue in force until thirty days after notice of its termination shall have been given by either party; but should either party be prevented by future action of its legislature from carrying out the terms of this arrangement, the obligations thereof shall thereupon lapse.
I shall be glad to have your confirmation of the accord thus reached.
Accept [etc.]