AGREEMENT IN THE FORM OF AN EXCHANGE OF LETTERS
between the European Community and the Republic of Belarus amending the Agreement between
the European Community and the Republic of Belarus on trade in textile products
A.Letter from the Council of the European Union
Sir,
1. I have the honour to refer to the Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of
Belarus on trade in textile products initialled on 1 April 1993, as last amended and extended by the
Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters initialled on 23 December 2003 (hereafter referred toas the Agreement).
2. In view of the expiry of the Agreement on 31 December 2004 and in accordance with Article 19(1)
of the Agreement, the European Community and the Republic of Belarus agree to extend the duration of theAgreement, for a further period of one year, subject to the following amendments and conditions:
2.1. The text of Article 19(1), second and third sentences, of the Agreement shall be replaced by the
following:
‘It shall be applicable until 31 December 2005. ’
2.2. Annex II which sets out the quantitative restrictions for exports from the Republic of Belarus to the
European Community is replaced by Appendix 1 to this letter.
2.3. The Annex to Protocol C which sets out the quantitative restrictions for exports from the Republic
of Belarus to the European Community after OPT operations in the Republic of Belarus is replaced for the
period of 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2005 by Appendix 2 to this letter.
2.4. Imports into Belarus of textile and clothing products of European Community origin shall be subject
in 2005 to custom duties not exceeding those provided for 2004 in Appendix 4 of the Agreement in theform of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Republic of Belarus initialled on11 November 1999.
In the case of non-application of these rates the Community will have the right to reintroduce for the period
of the agreement remaining unexpired on a pro rata basis the levels for quantitative restrictions applicablefor 2004 as specified in the Exchange of Letters initialled on 23 December 2003.
3. Should the Republic of Belarus become a Member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) before the
date of the expiry of the Agreement, the Agreements and rules of the WTO shall be applied from the dateof the Republic of Belarus ’accession to the WTO.
4. I should be obliged if you could kindly confirm the acceptance of your Government of the foregoing.
Should this be the case, this Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters shall enter into force on the
first day of the month following the day on which the Parties have notified each other that the legalprocedures necessary to this end have been completed. In the meantime, it shall be applied provisionallyfrom 1 January 2005 on the condition of reciprocity.
Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.
For the Council of the European UnionEN 18.3.2005 Official Journal of the European Union L 72/19
Appendix 1
‘ANNEX II
Belarus Category Unit Quota as from 1 January 2005
Group IA 1 tonnes 1 585
2 tonnes 5 100
3 tonnes 233
Group IB 4 1 000 pieces 1 600
5 1 000 pieces 1 0586 1 000 pieces 1 400
7 1 000 pieces 1 200
8 1 000 pieces 1 110
Group IIA 9 tonnes 363
20 tonnes 31822 tonnes 498
23 tonnes 255
39 tonnes 230
Group IIB 12 1 000 pairs 5 958
13 1 000 pieces 2 651
15 1 000 pieces 1 500
16 1 000 pieces 186
21 1 000 pieces 88924 1 000 pieces 803
26/27 1 000 pieces 1 069
29 1 000 pieces 450
73 1 000 pieces 315
83 tonnes 178
Group IIIA 33 tonnes 387
36 tonnes 1 242
37 tonnes 46350 tonnes 196
Group IIIB 67 tonnes 339
74 1 000 pieces 361
90 tonnes 199
Group IV 115 tonnes 87
117 tonnes 1 800
118 tonnes 448 ’EN L 72/20 Official Journal of the European Union 18.3.2005
Appendix 2
‘ANNEX TO PROTOCOL C
Category Unit As from 1 January 2005
4 1 000 pieces 4 733
5 1 000 pieces 6 599
6 1 000 pieces 8 800
7 1 000 pieces 6 605
8 1 000 pieces 2 24912 1 000 pieces 4 446
13 1 000 pieces 697
15 1 000 pieces 3 858
16 1 000 pieces 786
21 1 000 pieces 2 56724 1 000 pieces 661
26/27 1 000 pieces 3 215
29 1 000 pieces 1 30473 1 000 pieces 4 998
83 tonnes 664
74 1 000 pieces 872 ’EN 18.3.2005 Official Journal of the European Union L 72/21
B.Letter from the Government of the Republic of Belarus
Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of …which reads as follows:
‘1. I have the honour to refer to the Agreement between the European Community and the Republic
of Belarus on trade in textile products initialled on 1 April 1993, as last amended and extended by theAgreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters initialled on 23 December 2003 (hereafter referred toas the Agreement).
2. In view of the expiry of the Agreement on 31 December 2004 and in accordance with Article
19(1) of the Agreement, the European Community and the Republic of Belarus agree to extend theduration of the Agreement, for a further period of one year, subject to the following amendments and
conditions:
2.1. The text of Article 19(1), second and third sentences, of the Agreement shall be replaced by the
following:
‘It shall be applicable until 31 December 2005. ’
2.2. Annex II which sets out the quantitative restrictions for exports from the Republic of Belarus to
the European Community is replaced by Appendix 1 to this letter.
2.3. The Annex to Protocol C which sets out the quantitative restrictions for exports from the
Republic of Belarus to the European Community after OPT operations in the Republic of Belarus isreplaced for the period of 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2005 by Appendix 2 to this letter.
2.4. Imports into Belarus of textile and clothing products of European Community origin shall be
subject in 2005 to custom duties not exceeding those provided for 2004 in Appendix 4 of theAgreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the
Republic of Belarus initialled on 11 November 1999.
In the case of non-application of these rates the Community will have the right to reintroduce for the
period of the agreement remaining unexpired on a pro rata basis the levels for quantitative restrictionsapplicable for 2004 as specified in the Exchange of Letters initialled on 23 December 2003.
3. Should the Republic of Belarus become a Member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) before
the date of the expiry of the Agreement, the Agreements and rules of the WTO shall be applied fromthe date of the Republic of Belarus ’accession to the WTO.
4. I should be obliged if you could kindly confirm the acceptance of your Government of the
foregoing. Should this be the case, this Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters shall enterinto force on the first day of the month following the day on which the Parties have notified each otherthat the legal procedures necessary to this end have been completed. In the meantime, it shall be appliedprovisionally from 1 January 2005 on the condition of reciprocity. ’
I have the honour to confirm that my Government is in agreement with the content of your letter.
Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.
For the Government of the Republic of BelarusEN L 72/22 Official Journal of the European Union 18.3.2005