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PROTOCOL 4

ON BANANAS

THE COMMUNITY AND THE ACP STATES AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES FOR IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE ACP STATES' BANANAS ARE PRODUCED AND MARKETED , AND AGREE THAT APPROPRIATE MEASURES WILL BE TAKEN FOR THEIR IMPLEMENTATION .

ARTICLE 1

AS REGARDS ITS EXPORTS OF BANANAS TO THE MARKETS OF THE COMMUNITY , NO ACP STATE WILL BE PLACED , AS REGARDS ACCESS TO ITS TRADITIONAL MARKETS AND ITS ADVANTAGES ON THOSE MARKETS , IN A LESS FAVOURABLE SITUATION THAN IN THE PAST OR AT PRESENT .

ARTICLE 2

EACH OF THE ACP STATES CONCERNED AND THE COMMUNITY WILL CONFER TOGETHER IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE MEASURES TO BE IMPLEMENTED TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS FOR THE PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF BANANAS . THIS AIM WILL BE PURSUED BY USING ALL THE MEANS PROVIDED FOR IN THE CONTEXT OF FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION . THE MEASURES IN QUESTION WILL BE DESIGNED TO ENABLE THE ACP STATES , PARTICULARLY SOMALIA , ACCOUNT BEING TAKEN OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS , TO BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE BOTH ON THEIR TRADITIONAL MARKETS AND ON THE OTHER MARKETS OF THE COMMUNITY . MEASURES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AT ALL STAGES FROM PRODUCTION TO CONSUMPTION AND WILL COVER THE FOLLOWING FIELDS IN PARTICULAR :

_ IMPROVEMENT OF PRODUCTION , HARVESTING , HANDLING AND INTERNAL TRANSPORT CONDITIONS ,

_ TRADE PROMOTION .

ARTICLE 3

FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTAINING THESE OBJECTIVES , THE TWO PARTIES AGREE TO CONFER TOGETHER IN A PERMANENT JOINT GROUP , ASSISTED BY A GROUP OF EXPERTS WHOSE TASK WILL BE TO KEEP UNDER CONTINUOUS REVIEW ANY SPECIFIC PROBLEMS ARISING FROM APPLICATION OF THIS PROTOCOL IN ORDER TO SUGGEST SOLUTIONS .

ARTICLE 4

SHOULD THE BANANA-PRODUCING ACP STATES DECIDE TO SET UP A JOINT ORGANIZATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTAINING THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROTOCOL , THE COMMUNITY WILL SUPPORT SUCH AN ORGANIZATION AND WILL GIVE CONSIDERATION TO ANY REQUESTS IT MAY RECEIVE FOR SUPPORT FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S ACTIVITIES WHICH FALL WITHIN THE SCOPE OF REGIONAL SCHEMES UNDER THE HEADING OF FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION .