This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
130
MULTILATERAL AGREEMENTS, 1776-1917

In accordance with said resolution the committee submits the following recommendations:

1. There shall be formed by the countries represented in this Conference an association under the title of "The International Union of American Republics" for the prompt collection and distribution of commercial information.

2. The International Union shall be represented by a Bureau to be established in the city of Washington, D.C., under the supervision of the Secretary of State of the United States and to be charged with the care of all translations and publications and with all correspondence pertaining to the International Union.

3. This Bureau shall be called "The Commercial Bureau of the American Republics", and its organ shall be a publication to be entitled "Bulletin of the Commercial Bureau of the American Republics."

4. The Bulletin shall be printed in the English, Spanish, and Portuguese languages.

5. The contents of the Bulletin shall consist of—

(a) The existing customs tariffs of the several countries belonging to the Union and all changes of the same as they occur, with such explanations as may be deemed useful.

(b) All official regulations which affect the entrance and clearance of vessels and the importation and exportation of merchandise in the ports of the represented countries; also all circulars of instruction to customs officials which relate to customs procedure or to the classification of merchandise for duty.

(c) Ample quotations from commercial and parcel-post treaties between any of the American Republics.

(d) Important statistics of foreign commerce and domestic products and other information of special interest to merchants and shippers of the represented countries.

6. In order to enable the Commercial Bureau to secure the utmost accuracy in the publication of the Bulletin, each country belonging to this Union shall send directly to the Bureau, without delay, two copies each of all official documents which may pertain to matters having relation to the objects of the Union, including customs tariffs, official circulars, international treaties or agreements, local regulations, and, so far as practical, complete statistics regarding commerce and domestic products and resources.

7. This Bureau shall at all times be available as a medium of communication and correspondence for persons applying for reasonable information in regard to matters pertaining to the customs tariffs and regulations and to the commerce and navigation of the American Republics.