(c) contracting parties shall not, except for purposes of operating quotas allocated in accordance with sub-paragraph (d) of this paragraph, require that import licences or permits be utilized for the importation of the product concerned from a particular country or source; In (d) in cases in which a quota is allocated among supplying countries, the contracting party applying the restrictions may seek agreement with respect to the allocation of shares in the quota with all other contracting parties having a substantial interest in supplying the product concerned. cases in which this method is not reasonably practicable, the contracting party concerned shall allot to contracting parties having a substantial interest in supplying the product shares based upon the proportions, supplied by such contracting parties during a previous representative period, of the total quantity or value of imports of the product, due account being taken of any special factors which may have affected or may be affecting the trade in the product. No conditions or formalities shall be imposed which would prevent any contracting party from utilizing fully the share of any such total quantity or value which has been allotted to it, subject to importation being made within any prescribed period to which the quota may relate. 3. (a) In cases in which import licences are issued in connection with import restrictions, the contracting party applying the restrictions shall provide, upon the request of any contracting party having an interest in the trade in the product concerned, all relevant information concerning the administration of the restrictions, the import licences granted over a recent period and the distribution of such licences among supplying countries; Provided that there shall be no obligation to supply information as to the names of importing or supplying enterprises. (b) In the case of import restrictions involving the fixing of quotas, the contracting party applying the restrictions shall give public notice of the total quantity or value of the product or products which will be permitted to be imported during a specified future period and of any change in such quantity or value. Any supplies of the product in question which were en route at the time at which public notice was given shall not be excluded from entry; Provided that they may be counted so far as practicable, against the quantity permitted to be imported in the period in question, and also, where necessary, against the quantities permitted to be imported in the next following period or periods; and Provided further that if any contracting party customarily exempts from such restrictions products entered for consumption or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption during a period of thirty days after the day of such public notice, . such practice shall be considered full compliance with this sub-paragraph. (c) In the case of quotas allocated among supplying countries, the contracting party applying the restrictions shall promptly inform all other contracting parties having an interest in supplying the product concerned of the shares in the quota currently allocated, by quantity or value, to the various supplying countries and shall give public notice thereof. 4. With regard to restrictions applied in accordance with paragraph 2(d) of this Article or under paragraph 2 (c) of Article XI, the selection of a representative period for any product and the appraisal of any special factors affecting the trade in the product shall be made initially by the contracting party applying the restriction; Provided that such contracting party shall upon the request of any other contracting party having a substantial interest in supplying that product or upon the request of the CONTRACTING PARTIES, consult promptly with the other contracting party or the CONTRACTING PARTIES regarding the need for an adjustment of the proportion determined or of the base period selected, or for the reappraisal of the special factors involved, or for the elimination of conditions, formalities or any other provisions established unilaterally relating to the allocation of an adequate quota or its unrestricted utilization. 5. The provisions of this Article shall apply to any tariff quota instituted or maintained by any contracting party, and, insofar as applicable, the principles of this Article shall also extend to export restrictions and to any internal regulation or requirement under paragraphs 3 and 4 of Article III. 1. Article XIV Exceptions to the Rule of Non- (a) The contracting parties recognize that when a substantial and widespread disequilibrium prevails in international trade and payments a contracting party applying restrictions under Article XII may be able to increase its imports from certain sources without unduly depleting its monetary reserves, if permitted to depart from the provisions of Article XIII. The contracting parties also recognise the need for close limitation of such departures so as not to handicap achievement of multilateral international trade. (b) Accordingly, when a substantial and widespread disequilibrium prevails in international trade and payments, a contracting party applying import restrictions under Article XII may relax such restrictions in a manner which departs from the provisions of Article XIII to the extent necessary to obtain additional imports above the maximum total of imports which it could afford in the light of the requirements of paragraph 2 of Article XII if its restrictions were fully consistent with the provisions of Article XIII, provided that (1) levels of delivered prices for products so (11) the contracting party taking such action does not reasonably expected to attain; (111) such action does not cause unnecessary damage to the commercial or economic interests of any other contracting party. (c) Any contracting party taking action under this paragraph shall observe the principles of sub-paragraph (b) of this paragraph. A contracting party shall desist from transactions which prove to be inconsistent with that sub-paragraph, but the contracting party shall not be required to satisfy itself, when it is not practicable to do so, that the requirements of that subparagraph are fulfilled in respect of individual transactions. (d) Contracting parties undertake, in framing and carrying out any programme for additional imports under this paragraph, to have due regard to the need to facilitate the termination exchange arrangements which deviate from the obligations of Sections 2, 3 and 4 of Article VIII of the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund and to the need to restore equilibrium in their balances of payments on a sound and lasting basis. of any 2. Any contracting party taking action under paragraph 1 of this Article shall keep the CONTRACTING PARTIES regularly informed regarding such action and shall provide such available relevant information as they may request. 3. (a) Not later than March 1, 1952 (five years after the date on which the International Monetary Fund began operations) and in each year thereafter, any contracting party maintaining or proposing to institute action under paragraph 1 of this Article shall seek the approval of the CONTRACTING PARTIES which shall thereupon determine whether the circumstances of the contracting party justify the maintenance or institution of action by it under paragraph 1 of this Article. After March 1, 1952, no contracting party shall maintain or institute such action without determination by the CONTRACTING PARTIES that the contracting party's circumstances justify the maintenance or |