C—3a

IV 14. There exists a large body of international pulp and paper statistics compiled both by Governments and by industrial and trade associations. It is obviously desirable that these statistics be maintained and further developed and that any programme for world pulp statistics avoid unnecessary duplication and take maximum advantage of whatever existing material can be obtained from Government and private sources. 15. On the other hand, the work of the Conference has revealed considerable gaps in world pulp statistics, especially with regard to certain countries and areas which play an increasing part in world production and consumption but about which little statistical information is available. The Conference was also impressed by existing differences in the classification of wood pulp statistics which greatly reduce their international comparability. The Conference therefore Recommends (a) That FAO's programme for wood-pulp statistics be reviewed with due consideration for the views of experts from Governments and private institutions and that arrangements be made for the necessary exchange of information designed to give FAO the benefit of available material with the least delay and the least additional work to Governments and industrial associations. (b) That FAO's pulp statistics be primarily designed to provide an authoritative and homogeneous set of statistics on the production, consumption, stocks, and international trade of wood-pulp and pulp-wood, and thus to fill existing gaps of information, including statistics on pulp manufactured from straw and other non-wood materials. (c) That FAO undertake special efforts towards the standardization of national pulp and pulp-wood statistics in order to improve their international comparability. Y 16. The Conference (а) Requests all participating delegations and observers to bring this report to the immediate attention of their Governments ; (б) Invites the Director-General of FAO to present this report to the forthcoming session of the Council of FAO, meeting in June, 1949, in Paris ; (c) Requests the Council of FAO to include world pulp problems in the agenda of the Fifth Annual Conference of FAO ; (d) Expresses the view that the problems connected with present and prospective consumer needs for pulp products be considered by the FAO Council next June, including the advisability of undertaking the preparation of a study of the facts by the staff of FAO in co-operation with UNESCO, to be presented to the fifth session of the Annual Conference of FAO. Some delegations reserved the right to question the jurisdiction of FAO and the advisability of its undertaking such a study at the present time; (e) Records its appreciation for the message sent by the Director-General of UNESCO and for the continued attention that this Organization is giving to the educational and social aspects of newsprint and paper consumption ; (/) Draws the attention of the Regional Economic Commissions of the United to the present report and its findings ; and (g) Invites the Executive Secretary of ECE to consider, in co-operation with FAO, what further action may be necessary with regard to Europe's pulp and pulp-wood problems. VI 17. The present report and annexes are herewith unanimously adopted for public release.

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