Specializes in creating eco-friendly clothes. In pairs / groups, design a new item of

clothing that is good for the environment. Agree on the following points:

POINTS	REASONS
The item of clothing
A catchy name or slogan
The design
How it helps the environment
An idea for the TV commercials
Ideas to make it sell
Materials, sizes, colors, etc
Other

• Change partners and show each other your ideas for your eco-clothing.
• Give each other feedback and advice on how to improve them.
• Present your ideas to the rest of the class.
• In pairs / groups, discuss the presentations and vote on the best ideas. Which ones would you buy?

ADDITIONAL TASKS

VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text.

Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up

More associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on the Triumph International eco-bra. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?

3. KYOTO PROTOCOL LIFE: Make a poster describing ways in which we can live our everyday lives in the spirit of the Kyoto Protocol. Show your posters to your classmates in your next lesson. Did you all think of similar ideas?

4. LETTER: Write a letter to the boss of a clothing company or fashion house. Tell him / her your ideas for eco-clothes. Show what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all write about similar things.

5. RUSSIAN ARTICLE TRANSLATION: Translate the Russian language

article from the ADDENDUM (Writing skills).

 

Unit II

Topics:  1. The HS Convention

The Istanbul Convention

Grammar revision: English verb tenses

Text 1

The HS Convention

The International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS Convention ) was adopted in 1983 and came into force in 1988. The HS multipurpose goods nomenclature is used as the basis for customs tariffs and for the compilation of international trade statistics. It comprises about 5000 commodity groups, each identified by a six digit code arranged in a legal and logical structure with well-defined rules to achieve uniform classification. The HS is also used for many other purposes involving trade policy, rules of origin, monitoring of controlled goods, internal taxes, freight tariffs, transport statistics, quota controls, price monitoring, compilation of national accounts, and economic research and analysis.

The Nomenclature governed by the Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, commonly known as "HS Nomenclature", is an international multipurpose nomenclature which was elaborated under the auspices of the World Customs Organization (WCO). At present there are 138 Contracting Parties to this Convention, however, it is applied by more than 200 administrations worldwide, mostly to set up their national customs tariff and for the collection of economic statistical data. The European Union and its member states together represent a block of 28 Contracting Parties to the aforementioned Convention.

The HS Nomenclature comprises about 5,000 commodity groups which are identified by a 6-digit code and arranged according to a legal and logical structure based on fixed rules. The Combined Nomenclature of the European Union (EU) integrates the HS Nomenclature and comprises additional 8-digit subdivisions and legal notes specifically created to address the needs of the Community.

The official interpretation of the HS which provides for its uniform interpretation worldwide is ensured by the HS Committee which comprises representatives from the Contracting Parties to the HS Convention. Other administrations, international organizations, international commerce and industry are represented as observers.

The HS Convention provides for two types of decisions taken by the HS Committee:

1. Decisions which amend the Convention including its nomenclature (procedure under Article 16) and

2. Decisions which "manage or interpret" the Convention and which normally take the form of classification decisions, Explanatory Notes or Classification opinions (procedure under Article 8.

In both cases, the EU and its member states, together, dispose of a single vote only. The Contracting Parties may lodge a "reservation" against both types of decisions. A "reservation" against an amendment of the Convention (Article 16 procedure) annuls the decision that was taken. On the other hand, the legal effect of a "reservation" in the framework of an Article 8 procedure of the Convention is limited to a suspension of the decision which has to be re-examined at a later meeting of the Committee. In practice, this simply means that the definitive decision is delayed by 6 to 12 months.

Generally, the amendments to the HS Convention become binding for all Contracting Parties two years after they are notified by the Secretary General of the WCO. However, the decisions concerning the management and interpretation of the Convention are generally deemed to have been accepted by all Contracting Parties two months after the decision by the HS Committee.

 

WORKING ON THE TEXT

Ex.1. SKIMMING:

a. Read the headline and the first sentence of each paragraph of the text. Pair up to discuss the guessed-at topic of the article.

b. R ead the first paragraph and the last paragraph of the text. Then work in pairs to discuss the guessed-at contents of the piece.

c. Read the text during two minutes. After two minutes, get into pairs to discuss the contents of the piece.

Ex.2. SCANNING:

a. While scanning the text find the answers for content-specific questions given by the teacher.

b. While scanning the text read the sentences containing the key vocabulary words given by the teacher.

Ex.3. READING:   Read and translate the text “HS Convention“.

Ex.4. CHAT: Talk in pairs or groups about   the “HS Convention”.

Ex.5. HS Convention Brainstorm: Spend one minute writing down all of the

different words you associate with the words ‘HS Convention’. Share your words with your partner / group and talk about them.

Ex.6. 2-MINUTE DEBATES: Students face each other in pairs and engage in the

following 2-minute debates. The subject is “The importance of the HS

Convention”.

Ex.7. VOCAB EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

Ex.8. TRUE / FALSE: Look through the article and guess whether these

sentences are true or false:

a. The International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity

Description and Coding System (HS Convention ) was adopted in 1983

and came into force in 1988.  T / F

b. The HS multipurpose goods nomenclature is used as the additional instrument for customs tariffs and for the compilation of international trade statistics. T/F

c. The HS is also used for many other purposes involving trade policy, rules of origin, monitoring of controlled goods, internal taxes, freight tariffs, transport statistics, quota controls, price monitoring, compilation of national accounts, and economic research and analysis. T/F

d. The European Union and its member states together represent a block of 280 Contracting Parties to the aforementioned Convention. T/F

e. The Combined Nomenclature of the European Union (EU) integrates the HS Nomenclature and comprises additional 8-digit subdivisions and legal notes specifically created to address the needs of the Community. T/F

f.  The HS Convention provides for four types of decisions taken by the HS Committee. T/F

g. The Contracting Parties may lodge a "reservation" against both types of decisions. T/F

h. In practice, this simply means that the definitive decision is delayed by 3 to 10 months. T/F

i. Generally, the amendments to the HS Convention become binding for all Contracting Parties two years after they are notified by the Secretary General of the WCO. T/F

Ex.9. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on the Convention. Share your findings with your class.

Ex.10. LETTER: Write a letter to the WCO executive explaining your views on the matter described.

Ex.11. PUBLIC POLICY: You are the leader of your country. Create a list of rules and instructions on additional measures assisting the Convention execution in your country.

Text 2

The Istanbul Convention