Belgian Government, which in 1886 suggested to other governments the creation of an agency for the prompt translation and dissemination of tariff information. This led to two international conferences at Brussels-one in 1888 when a convention was drafted for submission to the various governments, and one in 1890 when the convention was perfected and signed.10 Under article 3 of the convention, a Bureau is established to carry out the provisions of the convention. In the 59 years of its operation the International Customs Tariff Bureau has translated, published, and distributed hundreds of complete texts of customs tariffs, and thousands of supplements, covering practically all countries and colonial areas having separate customs regimes. For nonadhering states Belgian consular representatives abroad have kept the Bureau at Brussels supplied with current information as to new tariffs or alterations in existing ones. These translations have appeared at varying periods of time after the issuance of the original tariffs or the modifications of them. The interval has usually been a matter of months, although translations of complete revised texts have frequently not appeared until a year or more after their enactment. In both world wars the Brussels Bureau continued to function, although within a limited scope, during the German Occupation of Belgium. It is anticipated that if the proposed International Trade Organization is established, the Bureau may be brought within the supervision and budget of that organization. MEMBERSHIP The following states and colonies are listed as members as of the end of 1948: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgian Congo, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark and colonies, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France and colonies, Germany, Great Britain and colonies, Greece, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy and colonies, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands and colonies, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal and colonies, Rumania, Spain and colonies, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Union of South Africa, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Yugoslavia. 10 See Basic Texts and Publications, p. 103. PURPOSES, POWERS, AND FUNCTIONS The function of the Bureau is to translate and publish, at the common expense, "the customs tariffs of the various States of the globe and the modifications" therein, whether effected by legislative or executive means, for dissemination to the member governments. As the basis for this reciprocal interchange of tariff information, the member governments have agreed to supply the Bureau at Brussels with copies of their customs laws and customs tariffs; of all modifications of them; of the instructions concerning their application; and of their treaties, conventions, and laws having a direct bearing upon the existing tariffs. These tariff texts and supplements are issued in five languages: English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. STRUCTURE The International Customs Tariffs Bureau is the sole agency provided for by the convention of 1890 which prescribed its duties and methods of operation. These have remained substantially unchanged. Article 5 of the convention provides that: "The persons composing the International Bureau shall be appointed through the agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, which shall advance the necessary funds and see that the institution is properly managed." There is no provision for periodical or recurrent meetings of the representatives of the member governments, the Brussels Bureau carrying on its designated task autonomously along the lines provided in the original convention of 1890. FINANCES Budget. The Belgian Government manages the financial affairs of the Bureau. The budget of the Bureau for its financial year April 1, 1947, to March 31, 1948, amounted to 163,118 gold francs (approximately $53,290). Expenses for the next financial year were 185,712 gold francs (approximately $60,670). Assessments against members presently total 157,406 gold francs (approximately $51,425). A small amount of additional revenue is obtained from the sales of its "International Customs Bulletin." Members' Quotas. Article 9 of the convention provides: "With a view to the equitable adjustment of the quotas of the contracting States, those States shall be divided, according to the amount of their commerce, into six classes, the quota payable by each of which shall be in proportion of a certain number of units, In the case of states whose language is not used by the International Bureau, reduced quotas are provided. 11 Authorization. The President of the United States ratified the convention establishing the Union on December 17, 1890,11 the advice and consent of the Senate having been given on December 13, 1890. That ratification carried authorization for membership and for contributions to the expenses for the operation of the Bureau. Payments. Under the Final Declarations of the convention, the maximum annual quota for the United States is set at 6,833 gold francs, equivalent to $2,233. This amount is 4.3 percent of total assessments. The United States pays its quota from funds appropriated to the Department of State. Agencies Chiefly Concerned. The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce of the Department of Commerce has been the agency of the United States Government to which have been sent the copies of the tariffs and supplements issued by the International Bureau at Brussels. The United States allocation has consisted of 400 copies in English and a few copies in each of the other four languages. Copies have been regularly distributed to the other interested governmental agencies, notably the United States Tariff Commission, with the bulk of them used by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce for the handling of commercial inquiries regarding the tariffs of all foreign states and their application. Participation. See preceding paragraphs. RELATIONS WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS At the Second Session of the Executive Committee of the Interim Commission for the International Trade Organization, the Executive Secretary of the Interim Commission was directed, "in consultation with the officials of the Bureau, to work out the details of an arrangement for bringing the Bureau under the direct supervision of the proposed International Trade Organization (Iro)." Such an arrangement would provide for the financing of the Bureau out of the ITO budget. BASIC TEXTS AND PUBLICATIONS U. S. Department of State. Convention Concerning the Formation of an International Union for the Publication of Customs Tariff, Certain Regulations for the Execution of Said Convention and Certain Final Declarations. Treaty Series 384. Washington, Government Printing Office, 1890. (26 Stat. 1518.) The tariff texts and supplements published by the Brussels Bureau appear in what is termed The International Customs Journal, issued at irregular intervals, as the original texts become available and translations are prepared. They are numbered in sets for each fiscal year, ending March 31. The Bureau has also issued annually a separate administrative report, summarizing its operations and its financial accounts for the preceding fiscal year. International Conference of Customs Tariffs. Brussels, 1888. |