Article 18 — CEDEAO Traite-1975

Quantitative Restrictions on Community Goods

1. Except as may be provided for or permitted by this Treaty, each of the Member States undertakes to relax gradually and to remove ultimately in accordance with a schedule to be recommended by the Trade, Customs, Immigration, Monetary and Payments Commission and not later than ten (10) years from the definitive entry into force of this Treaty, all the then existing quota, quantitative or like restrictions or prohibitions which apply to the import into that State of goods originating in the other Member States and thereafter refrain from imposing any further restrictions or prohibitions.
2. The Authority may at any time, on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, decide that any quota, quantitative or like restrictions or prohibitions shall be relaxed more rapidly or removed earlier than is recommended by the Trade, Customs, Immigration, Monetary and Payments Commission.
3. A Member State may, after having given notice to the other Member States of its intention to do so, introduce or continue to execute restrictions or prohibitions affecting: (a) the application of security laws and regulations; (b) the control of arms, ammunition and other war equipment and military items; (c) the protection of human, animal or plant health or life, or the protection of public morality; (d) the transfer of gold, silver and precious and semi-precious stones; or (e) the protection of national treasures; 22 provided that a Member State shall not so exercise the right to introduce or continue to execute the restrictions or prohibitions conferred by this paragraph as to stultify the free movement of goods envisaged in this Article.