Artikel 3

In view of the grave obstacles to international trade caused by import and export prohibitions and restrictions, the Contracting States undertake to adopt and apply, as soon as circumstances permit, all measures calculated to reduce such prohibitions and restrictions to the smallest number; they undertake in any case, as regards import and export licences, to do everything in their power to ensure:
(a) That the conditions to be fulfilled and the formalities to be observed in order to obtain such licences should be brought immediately in the clearest and most definite form to the notice of the public;
(b) That the method of issue of the certificates of licences should be as simple and stable as possible;
(c) That the examination of applications and the issue of licences to the applicants should be carried out with the least possible delay;
(d) That the system of issuing licences should be such as to prevent the traffic in licences. With this object, licences when issued to individuals, should state the name of the holder and should not be capable of being used by any other person;
(e) That, in the event of the fixing of rations, the formalities required by the importing country should not be such as to prevent an equitable allocation of the quantities of goods of which the importation is authorised.