600.119/1–1548
Department of Commerce Press Release 1
Beginning March 1, 1948, commercial shipments of all commodities to Europe will require individual validated licenses, the Department of Commerce announced today through its Office of International Trade.
All European countries are included in a new country group which will include all of the countries of continental Europe, the British Isles, Iceland, Turkey, the U.S.S.R., all Asiatic possessions of the U.S.S.R. and Turkey, Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira, Tangier, Spain and all Spain’s colonial possessions, and the Mediterranean islands.
The new procedure wall require individual validated licenses for all shipments to these countries, but it does not affect those licensing regulations applicable to specified destinations within countries, such as the arrangements for shipments of gift packages.
There will be no change in the forms and procedures required for obtaining licenses for shipments of goods on the Positive List. The Positive List is a list of commodities in short supply for which export licenses are required to all destinations.
Department of Commerce officials emphasized that the new regulation does not mean that an embargo will be placed on any particular goods going to particular countries. They explained further that it is the policy of the United States Government to foster a healthy and stable trade relationship which can contribute to a balanced and expanding world economy. The new licensing policy has been established, it was stated, to insure a careful programming of the supply of essential goods to areas of greatest need, and to limit the shipment of commodities which can make no contribution to world recovery.
- The text of this press release was transmitted to Embassies and Legations in Europe in a circular telegram of January 15, 1948.↩