ASD (44)16 [1] LONDON, 21 March 1944
SECRET
[matter omitted]
ANNEX K
(i) Each of the signatory Governments, being determined to do its part to ensure that the victory of the United Nations shall be followed by freedom from want, recognises that this objective cannot be achieved unless its people are given the fullest opportunities to work and enjoy the rewards of their labour.
(ii) Moreover, each signatory Government recognises that a high level of employment among its people is not only fundamental to their material well-being, but will also contribute through the channels of trade to the creation of employment for the peoples of other countries and to an increase in their well-being.
(iii) Therefore each signatory Government recognises and hereby undertakes a national obligation to its own people and an international obligation to the other signatory Governments henceforth to take such measures as may be necessary and practicable to fulfil this purpose.
(iv) Each signatory Government declares to its own people and to other signatory Governments that it will take all measures within its powers to carry out this obligation and, in particular:-
(a) To secure the provision of opportunities for work of a kind which will maintain and improve the standard of living of the community.
(b) To mitigate the unemployment due to fluctuations in activity to which certain trades, industries and services are liable.
(v) In addition, each signatory Government undertakes:-
(a) To consult with other Governments and with appropriate international authorities as [to] methods of collecting on an agreed plan detailed statistics of national employment and unemployment.
(b) To take such internal measures as may be practicable and within its powers to collect the statistics relating to its own country required by the agreed plan.
(c) To submit such statistics to other Governments, through an appropriate international organisation, at intervals not exceeding three months.
(d) To make a report, for the purpose of an annual conference of the member countries, on the state of employment of its people and on the economic policies which have been used or are contemplated to combat unemployment.
(e) To send representatives concerned with the economic and social policy of the Government to meet with representatives of other Governments and international authorities at a special conference called by the appropriate organisation, if, in the opinion of that organisation, a serious decline in employment is developing in any of the signatory countries (for causes whether avoidable or unavoidable by the Governments of the countries concerned), for the purpose of examining and reporting upon possible national and international measures to restore the level of employment and to prevent the spread of unemployment to other countries.
(vi) In the event of a serious decline in the level of its employment, a member Government undertakes to consider measures to restore the level of employment such as:-
(a) Stimulation of private investment.
(b) Increase in public investment.
(c) Increased consumption expenditure.
(d) Expansion of oversea investment where appropriate.
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1 Agreed summary of the Article VII discussions with representatives of the Dominions and India. See Document 78, note 6.
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[AA:A989, 44/735/55/4/1]