IT
P R Mnl AANisTa
FOR MEDIA THURSDAY, 12 AUGUST 1982
REPORCTFP iN' 7 7 EXEYR T GROUP ON PROT0' ECTION-ISM.
TeCommonwealth Secretariat in.-London has released a Report
entitled " Protectionism: Threat to International Order. The
Impcton Developing Countries" prepared by a Commonwealth
. group of independent high-level experts...
-~ The Group of Experts.. was established as a result of an:.
-Australian proposal at-the Commonwealth-Heads of Government
Meigin Melbo-u-rne -in-OctL-ober -1981 -for. a study of the imipac t
:-of protectionism on developing countries.
The Report examines the effects of protection on developing
countries, including the impact of tariff and non-tariff
barriers on industrial and, importantly, agricultural products.-
It concludes that a major element in a sustainable international
trading s ystem is a fair and equitable place for developing
countries. It makes clear that the present rules and
procedures under the GATT have been least ef fective in combatting
the growth of agricultural protection and non-tariff measures.
The Report reflects the anxiety expressed by Commonwealth
Heads of Government in the Melbourne Communique about the trend
towards increased protectionism in international trade and
their common resolve to advance the dialogue between developed
. anddeveloping countL. ries. If offers an opportunity for
Commonwealth consensus and leadership in discussions of these
issues. Release of the Report is timely. Commonwealth Hleads of
Government from the Asia-Pacific region will be meeting in
Suva in October and will ha~ ve the opportunity to consider the
Report's findings, only a month or so before the GATT
Ministerial Meeting scheduled for the end of the November.
*-An important contribution made the Report is the comprehensiveway
it has drawn together a wide range of complex and important
issues.
-It will, therefore also be of interest to the wider international
community in its discussions and negotiations on trade policy
and reform which are so fundamental to a revival in the growth
of world trade and recovery of the world economy.
2
-The Report includes many reconmmendations on specific measures
particularly directed towards the forthcoming GATT Ministerial:..
and the work progam to which it should give rise for the
decade ahead. While the details of the recommendations will
be carefully studied by the Australian Government, the broad
thrust of the Report's conclusions correspond to the
Government's views on trade matters.
Although directed specifically at developing country trade,
the Report's conclusions offer further support for the Australian
initiative on protection which is on the table for consideration
-" at -the GATT Ministerial meeting. Indeed, in relation to
agricultural trade the Re-port reconmmends a stcp-by-step approach
to multilateral trade liberalisation along similar lines to
the broader Australian proposal.
The Group of Experts was chaired by Sir Alexander Cairncross,
a former Head of the Government Economic Service in the UK.
The eleven members included Professor Richard Snape of
Monash University.
I-extend my appreciation to the Group for their work and in
-particular. to. Professor.. Snape . for his. valuable participation
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