6. At the end of the transitional period, a table of minimum prices still in force shall  be drawn up. The Council shall, acting on a proposal from the Commission and by a  majority of nine votes in accordance with the weighting laid down in the first  subparagraph of Article 148 ( 2 ), determine the system to be applied within the  framework of the common agricultural policy.

Article 45

1. Until national market organizations have been replaced by one of the forms of  common organization referred to in Article 40 ( 2 ), trade in products in respect of  which certain Member States:

have arrangements designed to guarantee national producers a market for their  products; and
are in need of imports,

shall be developed by the conclusion of long term agreements or contracts between  importing and exporting Member States.

These agreements or contracts shall be directed towards the progressive abolition of  any discrimination in the application of these arrangements of the various producers  within the Community.

Such agreements or contracts shall be concluded during the first stage; account shall  be taken of the principle of reciprocity.

2. As regards quantities, these agreements or contracts shall be based on the average  volume of trade between Member States in the products concerned during the three  years before the entry into force of this Treaty and shall provide for an increase in  the volume of trade within the limits of existing requirements, account being taken of  traditional patterns of trade.

As regards prices, these agreements or contracts shall enable producers to dispose  of the agreed quantities at prices which shall be progressively approximated to those  paid to national producers on the domestic market of the purchasing country.

This approximation shall proceed as steadily as possible and shall be completed by  the end of the transitional period at the latest.

Prices shall be negotiated between the parties concerned within the framework of  directives issued by the Commission for the purpose of implementing the two  preceding subparagraphs.

If the first stage is extended, these agreements or contracts shall continue to be  carried out in accordance with the conditions applicable at the end of the fourth year  after the entry into force of this Treaty, the obligation to increase quantities and to  approximate prices being suspended until the transition to the second stage.

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