Treaty Affairs Files
The Heads of the American, French, and British Trade
Delegations (Currie,
Charquéraud, and Foot) to the
Head of the Swiss Delegation (Rappard)
Dear Professor Rappard: As a result of our
recent negotiations we understand that the Swiss Government has taken
the following decisions which will remain effective until the end of
hostilities in Europe.
- (1)
- The Swiss-German Trade Agreement which lapsed on 15th February
1945 will not be renewed.
- (2)
- Swiss exports to Germany and German-controlled territory will not
in any case exceed the limits set out in Annex I to this
letter.
- (3)
- The restrictions on transit between Germany and the
German-occupied part of Italy already decided on by the Swiss
Government will be maintained. These restrictions apply to coal,
iron, scrap-iron and steel which wall not be allowed to pass through
Switzerland either by rail or otherwise between Germany and the
German-occupied part of Italy.
- (4)
- In order to prevent the transit of looted property no goods will
be allowed to pass through Switzerland by rail or otherwise from the
German-occupied part of Italy to Germany until the Swiss authorities
are satisfied that such goods have been legitimately acquired and
are not property of which the Italian people have been deprived by
any act of dispossession. It is understood that in each case the
onus of proving that the goods in question have been legitimately
acquired will rest upon the person who applies for transit
facilities. In cases of doubt the Swiss Government will be prepared
to consult with the Mixed Commission and will take into account any
information which the Commission may be able to supply.
- (5)
- Transit in either direction between Germany and the
German-occupied part of Italy will not be permitted to exceed the
level of February 1945 either in total volume or to any significant
degree in respect of any particular item, save insofar as variations
may be agreed by the Mixed Commission.
- (6)
- All practical measures have been taken and will continue to be
taken to stop the export of Swiss electric power to Germany or to
any territory under German control.
We also take note of your letter of today’s date concerning the financial
measures discussed between us and the measures to be taken regarding
property held in Switzerland by nationals of other countries.
The Swiss Government has obtained or will immediately obtain the
concurrence of the Government of Liechtenstein as far as such consent is
necessary in order to make these measures effective.
We understand that it is the intention of the Swiss Government to
co-operate with the United Nations in the general economic tasks
involved in the reconstruction and relief of Europe and the orderly
distribution of supplies throughout the world.
We also understand that the Swiss Government, when making purchases of
any of the commodities now or subsequently appearing in Annex II of this
letter will upon request of the appropriate Allied authorities make such
purchases through Allied procurement agencies or in other manner
requested; also that the Swiss Government will keep the Allied
authorities informed regarding stocks of these commodities which
Switzerland holds abroad and will not make purchases in amounts greater
than those required for orderly shipment in the quantities indicated in
Annex II.
The purpose of this arrangement is solely to avoid the disruption of
markets which might result from excessive and disorganized buying of
goods of which there is a scarcity. Our Governments do not intend to
request co-ordination of purchases in this manner except in those
instances where shortage of world supply clearly makes it necessary.
Our three Governments will immediately open import quotas to the amounts
and under the conditions specified in Annex II of this letter.
Our three Governments are also prepared immediately to make available
facilities for the transit of goods across France to Switzerland to the
fullest extent compatible with the requirements of the Allied military
forces in Western Europe and the civilian needs of France and other
liberated countries. The conditions which will govern this traffic for
the immediate future are set out in Annex III of this letter.
Except as modified by the present exchange of letters the Agreement of
December 19, 1943, as subsequently modified remains effective.
On learning that this letter and its Annexes accurately sets forth the
actions and intentions of the Swiss Government the Government of the
United States of America, the Provisional Government of the French
Republic, and His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom will be
ready to regard this letter and your reply as constituting a formal and
binding agreement between the four Governments.
[Page 789]
This letter has been written in English and French, both texts having the
same validity.
Yours sincerely,
Lauchlin Currie
Charquéraud
Dingle Foot
annex i
1. The export to Germany of goods for which transfer guarantees were
granted before March 1, 1945, will be limited to 3 million Swiss
francs and will not exceed 1½ million Swiss francs in the month
ending April 8, 1945. With the exception of the following special
quotas there will be no exports of commodities which appear on the
attached list37
referred to in paragraph 5 below:—
| M 6 |
200′000 |
francs |
| 753/6 |
30′000 |
“ |
| 956a/f |
50′000 |
“ |
| Mdy |
200′000 |
“ |
2. The export to Germany of goods for which transfer guarantees may
be granted on or after March 1, 1945, will be limited to 50% by
value of the imports from Germany of the following:—Foodstuffs and
fodder; fertilizer; leather; seeds; staple fibre; artificial silk
and staple fibre yarn; clay for pottery; electrodes; coal, coke and
briquettes; iron and steel and semi-manufactures thereof; zinc;
machinery and apparatus; raw materials for chemicals (including tar,
pitch and resin); petroleum products.
3. The exports referred to in paragraph 2 above will be spread over
the various tariff groupings and will not exceed one million Swiss
francs in any one month. The Mixed Commission will be kept informed
of the placing of any German orders for unusual quantities of
goods.
4. There shall be no exports to Norway while that country remains
occupied by Germany, and there shall be no exports to Denmark of
goods listed in Annex I to the Agreement of December 19, 1943,
without the prior concurrence of the Mixed Commission.
5. List A of the War Trade Agreement of April 194038 is cancelled and replaced by the attached
list of goods, the export of which to Germany and German-occupied
territories is prohibited.
6. There shall be no increase in exports to Germany or other Axis
territories as a result of the granting of import facilities for
industrial materials.
[Page 790]
annex ii
Attached is a list of “reserved” commodities,39 showing the quantities
which will be available to Switzerland from all sources on a pro
rata basis until the end of hostilities in Europe and three months
thereafter, when the position will be reviewed. Generally speaking,
the balances from the 1944 allocations and quotas that remained
unshipped or unauthorised by the 10th January 1945 will be counted
against the amounts shown on the list. Special cases, however, when
this causes hardship, will be examined on request of the Swiss
Government. The list will be under continuous review by the Allied
supply authorities and subject to alteration both as to quantities
and as to the actual commodities appearing on the list, but
everything possible will be done to see that a fair share of these
supplies is available. Further if the supply situation in regard to
scarce commodities should materially improve, the Allied supply
authorities will be ready to examine whether any increase or
addition to the allocations will be possible. Furthermore the Allied
Delegations will immediately take up with the Allied supply
authorities the requests listed in column 3 (additional or new
requirements) and in particular do their utmost to make available
the goods mentioned as having first priority. The Swiss Government
will be informed as soon as possible of these additional quotas.
Shipments will not necessarily be restricted to quarterly or
six-monthly amounts but decision in this respect will depend on
supply considerations. Shipments of commodities not appearing on the
Reserved Commodity List will not be restricted by quotas or
allocations.
annex iii
Under the conditions existing at present it is anticipated that the
following rail facilities will be available:
- (1)
- Three trains a day in each direction, of approximately 600
tons each, from Cerbère to Switzerland by the line on the
right (west) bank of the Rhône,
- (2)
- Two trains a day in each direction, of approximately 200
tons each, from Toulon to Switzerland by the Alpine route.
The S.N.C.F.40 may at any time
direct all or part of this tonnage to the line on the left
(east) bank of the Rhône.
It is understood that these facilities will be used primarily for the
transportation of goods of prime necessity for Switzerland or for
[Page 791] raw materials required
by Swiss export industries. It is also understood that these trains
may be used for the export of Swiss goods.
These transit facilities will be increased as rapidly as conditions
permit.
Necessary facilities in the port of Toulon will be made available for
use by Swiss vessels.
It is understood that the Swiss Federal Railways will make available
to the S.N.C.F. an appropriate number of steam locomotives for this
transit. A specific agreement to this end, including the dates at
which the locomotives will become available, will be made between
the two railway administrations. The Swiss Federal Railways will
also furnish the necessary rolling stock. The fuel required for this
traffic will be deposited by the Swiss Government at one or more
locations to be agreed.
The traffic will be subject to such control measures as may be deemed
necessary by the Provisional Government of the French Republic. As a
means of reducing the number of control measures that need be
applied in France, the Swiss Government agrees to the presence in
Switzerland of an Allied official to lend his assistance to the
competent Swiss authorities for the control of this traffic.
