Article 6. Measures to Safeguard the Balance-of-Payments
1. The Parties shall endeavour to avoid the imposition of restrictions to safeguard the balance-of-payments.
2. Where a Party is in serious balance-of-payments and external financial difficulties or under threat thereof, it may:
(a) in case of trade in goods, in accordance with GATT 1994 and the Understanding on Balance- of-Payments Provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, contained in Annex 1A to the WTO Agreement, adopt or maintain restrictive import measures;
(b) in case of trade in services, adopt or maintain restrictions on trade in services on which it has undertaken specific commitments, including on payments or transfers for transactions related to such commitments; and
(c) in case of establishment under Chapter 10 (Establishment), in accordance with paragraphs 1 to 3 of Article XII of GATS, mutatis mutandis, adopt or maintain restrictions to safeguard the balance-of-payments.
3. Restrictions adopted or ~maintained under subparagraph 2(b) shall:
(a) be consistent with the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund;
(b) avoid unnecessary damage to the commercial, economic and financial interests of the other Party;
(c) not exceed those necessary to deal with the circumstances described in paragraph 2;
(d) be temporary and be phased out progressively as the situation specified in paragraph 2 improves; and
(e) be applied on a non-discriminatory basis such that the other Party is treated no less favourably than any non-Party.
4. In determining the incidence of the restrictions adopted or maintained under paragraph 2, the Parties may give priority to economic sectors which are more essential to their economic development. However, such restrictions shall not be adopted or maintained for the purpose of protecting a particular sector.
5. Any restrictions adopted or maintained by a Party under paragraph 2, or any changes therein, shall be notified to the other Party within 14 days after the date such measures are taken.
6. The Party adopting or maintaining any restrictions under paragraph 2 shall commence consultations with the other Party within 45 days after the date of notification in order to review the measures adopted or maintained by it.
Chapter 18. FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 1. Annexes
The Annexes to this Agreement shall constitute an integral part of this Agreement.
Article 2. Entry Into Force
The Parties shall notify each other of the completion of their internal procedures necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement. This Agreement shall enter into force 30 days after the date of receipt of the last written notification.
Article 3. Amendments
1. The Parties may agree in writing to amend this Agreement. Any amendment shall enter into force in accordance with the procedures required for the entry into force of this Agreement.
2. If any amendment is made to the WTO Agreement or any other international agreement, or a provision therein, that has been incorporated into this Agreement, the Parties shall consult each other on whether to amend this Agreement accordingly, unless otherwise provided in this Agreement.
Article 4. Termination
1. This Agreement shall remain in force unless either Party notifies the other Party in writing to terminate this Agreement. Such termination shall take effect 180 days after the date of receipt of the notification.
2. Within 30 days after a notification referred to in paragraph 1 is issued, either Party may request consultations regarding whether the termination of any provision of this Agreement should take effect on a date later than the date of termination as determined under paragraph 1. Such consultations shall commence within 30 days after the delivery of such request to the other Party and shall be completed before the date of termination as determined under paragraph 1.
Conclusion
In WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorised by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.
Done in duplicate at Hong Kong on the 28th day of June 2018 in the English language.
For the Government of Georgia
GENADI ARVELADZE
Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia
For the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
EDWARD YAU TANG-WAH
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
