611.2131/78a
Memorandum Handed to the Colombian Minister
(Lozano) by the Assistant
Secretary of State (Caffery), August 22, 1933
In handing to the Minister of Colombia a proposal designed to serve as
the basis of a reciprocity agreement between the United States and [Page 223] Colombia, it is desired to
call attention to certain trade figures which throw light upon the two
schedules9
included in the text.
In 1931, according to figures compiled by the United States, exports to
Colombia amounted to $16,052,000, of which it is estimated that
$5,083,000 or 31.7 per cent., consisted of products of the varieties on
which, under Schedule 1 of the Agreement, Colombia is asked to reduce
its tariff rates. The corresponding figures of the Colombian customs
authorities are 17,196,000 pesos, of which 5,722,000, or 33.3 per cent.,
represent the commodities upon which reductions are asked.
For 1932, figures of the United States export trade, but not of the
Colombian import trade, are available. They indicate that, in 1932,
exports from the United States to Colombia amounted to $10,670,000, of
which $1,802,000, or 16.9 per cent., represented the products on behalf
of which reduced tariffs are asked.
The foregoing figures are in sharp contrast to the corresponding figures
illustrating Schedule 2, which contains the commodities which the United
States agrees to continue on the free list, so long as the Agreement
remains in force.
In 1931 the United States imported from Colombia products to the value of
$75,481,000, of which $74,843,000, or 99.2 percent, represent the
commodities which are included in Schedule 2. In 1932, imports into the
United States from Colombia amounted to $60,845,000, of which
$57,227,000, or 94.1 per cent., were the products which the United
States proposes to keep on the free list when imported from
Colombia.
It will be interesting, in this connection, to recall the fact that, in
1931, the total imports of Colombia, in United States dollars, amounted
to $39,640,000, of which $16,505,000 or 41.9 per cent., came from the
United States. The percentage remained approximately the same for 1932,
though the value of the products in dollars declined considerably. Of
the total exports of Colombia, in 1931, which were valued at
$94,647,000, the exports to the United States amounted to 83.1 per
cent., or $78,639,000. The corresponding figures for 1932 show total
exports of $67,067,000, of which $51,497,000, or 76.7 percent, were to
the United States.
Washington
, August
22, 1933.
American Draft of Reciprocal Trade
Agreement
The President of the United States of America and the President of
the Republic of Colombia, desiring to promote trade between the [Page 224] United States of America
and the Republic of Colombia, have arrived at the following
agreement:
Article I
Articles the growth, produce or manufacture of the United States of
America, described in Schedule 1 annexed hereto and made a part of
this agreement, shall, when imported into the Republic of Colombia,
be exempt from customs duties and import charges of any kind in
excess of those set forth in the said schedule. Octroi and other
internal charges affecting such articles, and not equally imposed
upon like articles the growth, produce or manufacture of Colombia,
shall not be increased above their present rates.
Article II
Articles the growth, produce or manufacture of the Republic of
Colombia, described in Schedule 2 annexed hereto and made a part of
this agreement, shall, when imported into the United States of
America, be exempt from all customs duties and import charges,
except such special duties as are required by law to be assessed on
importations which are not properly marked to indicate their origin,
or which have been sold at less than the foreign market value (or,
in the absence of such value, than the cost of production).
Article III
It is agreed that the United States of America and the Republic of
Colombia will grant each other unconditional and unrestricted
most-favored-nation treatment in all matters concerning customs
duties and subsidiary duties of every kind and in the method of
levying duties, and, further, in all matters concerning the rules,
formalities and charges imposed in connection with the clearing of
goods through the customs.
Accordingly, natural or manufactured products having their origin in
either of the countries shall in no case be subject, in regard to
the matters referred to above, to any duties, taxes or charges other
or higher, or to any rules and formalities other or more burdensome,
than those to which the like products having their origin in any
third country are or may hereafter be subject.
Similarly, natural or manufactured products exported from the
territories of either country and consigned to the territories of
the other shall in no case be subject, in regard to the
above-mentioned matters, to any duties, taxes or charges other or
higher, or to any rules and formalities other or more burdensome,
than those to which the like products when consigned to the
territories of any other country are or may hereafter be
subject.
[Page 225]
All the advantages, favors, privileges and immunities which have been
or may hereafter be granted by either country in regard to the
above-mentioned matters, to natural or manufactured products
originating in any other country or consigned to the territories of
any other country shall be accorded immediately and without
compensation to the like products originating from the other or to
products consigned to the territories thereof.
Nevertheless, the advantages now accorded or which may hereafter be
accorded to other adjacent countries in order to facilitate frontier
traffic, and advantages resulting from a customs union already
concluded or hereafter to be concluded by either country shall be
excepted from the operation of this article; and this article shall
not apply in respect of police or sanitary regulations or to the
commerce of the United States of America with the Republic of Cuba,
the Panama Canal Zone, the Philippine Islands, or any territory or
possession of the United States, or in respect of the commerce of
the territories and possessions of the United States with one
another.
Article IV
This agreement shall become effective on the day on which the
President of the Republic of Colombia shall inform the President of
the United States of America that the reductions of duties provided
for, and any changes in the laws and regulations of the Republic of
Colombia that may be necessary to give effect to the provisions of
the agreement, are in force in the Republic of Colombia. It shall
remain in effect until either party shall, on thirty days’ written
notice to the other party, have terminated the same.
Done at Washington in duplicate in the English and Spanish languages,
both of which shall be equally authentic, this . . . . . . day of .
. . . . . . . . ., 1933.
In witness whereof, the duly authorized representatives of the
President of the United States of America and the President of the
Republic of Colombia, have affixed their signatures.
For the President of the United States of America:
For the
President of the Republic of Colombia:
