31

- Article XXIII ■ Nullification or Impairment - 1. If any - contracting party should consider. that any benefit accruing to it directly qr indirectly under this Agreement is being nullified or impaired or that the attainment of any objective of the Agreement is being, impeded as the result of. (a) the failure of another contracting party to carry out its obligations under this Agreement, or (b) the application by another contracting party of any measure, whether or not it conflicts with the provisions of this Agreement, or (c) the existence of any other situation, the contracting party may, with a view to the satisfactory adjustment of the matter, make written representations or proposals to the other contracting party or parties which it considers to be concerned. Any contracting party thus approached shall give sympathetic consideration to the representations or proposals made to it. 2. If no satisfactory adjustment is effected between the contracting parties concerned within a reasonable time, or if the difficulty is of the type described in paragraph 1 (c) of this Article, the matter may be referred to the CONTRACTING PARTIES. The CONTRACTING PARTIES shall- promptly investigate any matter so referred to them and shall make appropriate recommendations to the contracting parties which they consider to be concerned, or give a ruling on the matter, as appropriate. The CONTRACTING PARTIES may consult with contracting parties, with the Economic and, Social Council of the United Nations, and with any appropriate inter-governmental organization in cases where they confide? such consultation necessary. If the CONTRACTING PARTIES consider that the circumstances are serious enough to justify such action, they may authorize a contracting party or parties to suspend the application to any other contracting party or parties of such obligations or concessions under this Agreement as they determine to be appropriate in the circumstances. If the application to any contracting party of any obligation or concession is in fact suspended, that contracting party shall then be free, not later than sixty days after such action is taken, to advise the Secretary-General of the United Nations in writing of its intention to withdraw from this Agreement, and such withdrawal shall take effect upon the expiration of sixty days from the day on which written notice of such withdrawal is received by him* PART 111 Article XXIV Territorial Application—Frontier Traffic —Customs Unions 1. The rights and obligations arising under this agreement shall be deemed to be in force between each and every territory which is a separate Customs territory and in respect of which this Agreement has been accepted under Article XXVI or is being applied under the Protocol of Provisional Application.