Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 61 Part 5.djvu/29

 A28 INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [61 STAT. (d) Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to require any contracting party to alter the method of converting currencies for customs purposes which is applicable in its territory on the date of this Agreement, if such alteration would have the effect of increasing generally the amounts of duty payable. 5. The bases and methods for determining the value of products subject to duties or other charges or restrictions based upon or regulated in any manner by value should be stable and should be given sufficient publicity to enable traders to estimate, with a reasonable degree of certainty, the value for customs purposes. Article VIII Formalities connected with ImDortation and Exportation 1. The contracting parties recognise that fees and charges, other than duties, imposed by governmental authorities on or in connection with importation or exportation, should be limited in amount to the approximate cost of services rendered and should not represent an indirect protection to domestic products or a taxation of imports or exports for fiscal purposes. The contracting parties also recognize the need for reducing the number and diversity of such fees and charges, for minimizing the incidence and complexity of import and export formalities, and for decreasing and simplifying import and export documentation requirements. 2. The contracting parties shall take action in accord- ance with the principles and objectives of paragraph 1 of this Article at the earliest practicable date. Moreover, they shall, upon request by another contracting party,

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