INTERNATIONAL TRADE ORGANIZATION.

No. 73 of 1948.

An Act to approve Acceptance by Australia of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the Havana Charter for an International Trade Organization, and for other purposes.

[Assented to 17th December, 1948.]

BE it enacted by the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title.

1. This Act may be cited as the International Trade Organization Act 1948.

Commencement.

2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

Definitions.

3. In this Act—

“the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade” means the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the text of which was authenticated by the Final Act of the Second Session of the Preparatory Committee of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Employment, which Final Act was signed on behalf of Australia and other countries at Geneva on the thirtieth day of October, One thousand nine hundred and forty-seven;

“the Charter” means the Havana Charter for an International Trade Organization, the text of which was authenticated by the Final Act of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Employment, which Final Act was signed on behalf of Australia and other countries at Havana on the twenty-fourth day of March, One thousand nine hundred and forty-eight.

Approval of acceptance of Agreement and Charter.

4.—(1.) Subject to this section, approval is hereby given to the depositing by Australia with the Secretary-General of the United Nations of instruments of acceptance of—

(a) the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; and

(b) the Charter,

in respect of Australia and all territories for which Australia has international responsibility.

(2.) The approval given by the last preceding sub-section shall not apply to the depositing of an instrument of acceptance referred to in that sub-section unless and until a corresponding instrument of acceptance has been deposited by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America respectively.

Approval of signing of protocols at Havana.

5. Approval is hereby given to the signing effected on behalf of Australia of the following protocols which were signed on behalf of Australia and other countries at Havana on the twenty-fourth day of March, One thousand nine hundred and forty-eight, namely:—

(a) the protocol of rectifications to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade;

(b) the protocol modifying Articles XXV., XXXII. and XXXIII. of, and inserting Article XXXV. in, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; and

(c) the protocol modifying Article XIV. of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Approval of signing of certain protocols at Geneva.

6. Approval is hereby given to the signing effected on behalf of Australia of the following protocols which were signed on behalf of Australia and other countries at Geneva on the fourteenth day of September, One thousand nine hundred and forty-eight, namely:—

(a) the second protocol of rectifications to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade;

(b) the protocol for the accession of signatories of the final act of the thirtieth day of October, One thousand nine hundred and forty-seven;

(c) the protocol modifying Part I. and Article XXIX. of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Approval of acceptance of certain protocol.

7. Approval is hereby given to the depositing by Australia with the Secretary-General of the United Nations of an instrument of acceptance of the protocol modifying Part II. and Article XXVI. of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which protocol was signed on behalf of Australia and other countries at Geneva on the fourteenth day of September, One thousand nine hundred and forty-eight, but was signed on behalf of Australia with a reservation as to acceptance.