Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 42. (1992)
NAUTZ, Jürgen: Österreichische Überlegungen zur wirtschaftlichen Integration Europas und zum europäischen Machtgleichgewicht. Die wirtschaftspolitischen Arbeiten Richard Schüllers im amerikanischen Exil 1943–1950
Jürgen Nautz might enter the area where the duty is lowest and than proceed dutyfree to the country where the duty is higher. But this could only be achieved by procuring false certificates if origin for such commodities, since only goods produced in the three countries will be admitted duty free. The risk of such indirect imports is not great because the partners in the free trade scheme will cooperate in their own interest hindering such circumventions. As each country concluded her own trade agreements, Hungary might fear that Austria and Czechoslovakia could reduce their tariffs on certain agricultural products to a level which Hungary considers to low her point of view. And Austria might have similar objections to reductions of certain tariffs granted by her partners to outside countries, and the same would be true for Czechoslovakia. These doubts create some complications in the otherwise very simple formular of reciprocal free trade. Thus and additional formula must be found in order to guarantee that the equilibrium of reciprocal advantages would be maintained. Austria, Czechoslovakia and Hungary might, for example, assume the obligation not to reduce their tariffs by more than 50%, except with the consent of their partners. Free trade without a customs-union is technically possible and economically advantageous to the countries which formerly were parts of Austria-Hungary. But though this plan is free from the political difficulties connected with a customs-union, it can only succeed if the political relations between the partners are friendly. In Article 222 of the Peace Treaty of St. Germain, the Allied Powers agreed that they would not claim most favored nation treatment to secure the advantages of a special customs regime which might be arranged by Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia for a period of five years. This article has not been put into operation. Hungary refused for political reasons to establish closer economic relations with Czechoslovakia, and the latter was not inclined to apply Article 222 to her relations with Austria, than suffering from a crisis. It depends in the terms of the peace treaties and on the political attitude of the governments of the three countries whether they will cooperate economically after this war. The Moscow declaration is right in assuming that Austria and her neighbors can find economic security only simultaneously with political security. 356
