EN Official Journal of the European Union L 337/113

COUNCIL DECISION

of 10 December 2007

on the signing and provisional application of an 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

(2007/861/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 133 in conjunction with Article 300(2), first sentence thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1) The Commission has negotiated on behalf of the Community an Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters to extend for one year the existing Agreement and Protocols on trade in textile products with the Republic of Belarus, with some adjustments of the quantitative limits.

(2) The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters should be applied on a provisional basis as of 1 January 2008, pending the completion of procedures required for its conclusion, subject to reciprocal provisional application by the Republic of Belarus.

(3) The Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters should be signed on behalf of the Community,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Subject to its possible conclusion at a later date, the President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign on behalf of the Community the 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.

Article 2

Subject to reciprocity, the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters shall be applied on a provisional basis from 1 January 2008, pending its formal conclusion.

The text of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters is attached to this Decision.

Article 3

1. If the Republic of Belarus fails to respect paragraph 2.4 of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters, the quota for 2008 will be reduced to the levels applicable in 2007.

2. The decision to implement paragraph 1 shall be taken in accordance with the procedures referred to in Article 17 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 of 12 October 1993 on common rules for imports of certain textile products from third countries (1).

Article 4

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 10 December 2007. For the Council The President L. AMADO

(1) OJ L 275, 8.11.1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1217/2007 (OJ L 275, 19.10.2007, p. 16).

EN Official Journal of the European Union L 337/114

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

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 27 October 2006 (hereafter referred to as the Agreement).

2. In view of the expiry of the Agreement on 31 December 2007 and in accordance with Article 19(1) of the Agreement, the European Community and the Republic of Belarus agree to extend the duration 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) of the Agreement shall read as follows: ‘This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the date on which the Parties notify each other of the completion of the procedures necessary for that purpose. It shall be applicable until 31 December 2008.’

2.2. Annex II which sets out the quantitative restrictions for exports from the Republic of Belarus to the European Community shall be 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 shall be replaced for the period of 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008 by Appendix 2 to this letter.

2.4. Imports into Belarus of textile and clothing products of European Community origin shall be subject in 2008 to custom duties not exceeding those provided for 2003 in Appendix 4 of the Agreement 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 restrictions applicable for 2007 as specified in the Exchange of Letters initialled on 27 October 2006.

3. The European Community and Belarus recall their agreement to enter into consultations not later than six months before the expiration of the present Agreement with a view to possibly concluding a new agreement.

4. 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 date of the Republic of Belarus' accession to the WTO.

5. 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 legal procedures necessary to this end have been completed. In the meantime, it shall be applied provisionally from 1 January 2008 on the condition of reciprocity.

Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.

For the European Community

Appendix 1 ‘ANNEX II Belarus Category Unit Quota as from 1 January 2008 Group IA 1 tonnes 1 586 2 tonnes 7 307 3 tonnes 242 Group IB 4 T pieces 1 839 5 T pieces 1 105 6 T pieces 1 705 7 T pieces 1 377 8 T pieces 1 160 Group IIA 9 tonnes 363 20 tonnes 329 22 tonnes 524 23 tonnes 255 39 tonnes 241 Group IIB 12 T pairs 5 959 13 T pieces 2 651 15 T pieces 1 726 16 T pieces 186 21 T pieces 930 24 T pieces 844 26/27 T pieces 1 117 29 T pieces 468 73 T pieces 329 83 tonnes 184 Group IIIA 33 tonnes 387 36 tonnes 1 312 37 tonnes 463 50 tonnes 207 Group IIIB 67 tonnes 359 74 T pieces 377 90 tonnes 208 Group IV 115 tonnes 322 117 tonnes 2 543 118 tonnes 471 T pieces: thousand of pieces’

Appendix 2 ‘ANNEX TO PROTOCOL C Category Unit As from 1 January 2008 4 1 000 pieces 6 190 5 1 000 pieces 8 628 6 1 000 pieces 11 508 7 1 000 pieces 8 638 8 1 000 pieces 2 941 12 1 000 pieces 5 815 13 1 000 pieces 911 15 1 000 pieces 5 044 16 1 000 pieces 1 027 21 1 000 pieces 3 356 24 1 000 pieces 864 26/27 1 000 pieces 4 206 29 1 000 pieces 1 705 73 1 000 pieces 6 535 83 Tonnes 868 74 1 000 pieces 1 140’

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of … which reads as follows:

‘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 27 October 2006 (hereafter referred to as the Agreement). 2. In view of the expiry of the Agreement on 31 December 2007 and in accordance with Article 19(1) of the Agreement, the European Community and the Republic of Belarus agree to extend the duration 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) of the Agreement shall read as follows: “This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the date on which the Parties notify each other of the completion of the procedures necessary for that purpose. It shall be applicable until 31 December 2008.” 2.2. Annex II which sets out the quantitative restrictions for exports from the Republic of Belarus to the European Community shall be 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 shall be replaced for the period of 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008 by Appendix 2 to this letter. 2.4. Imports into Belarus of textile and clothing products of European Community origin shall be subject in 2008 to custom duties not exceeding those provided for 2003 in Appendix 4 of the Agreement 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 restrictions applicable for 2007 as specified in the Exchange of Letters initialled on 27 October 2006. 3. The European Community and Belarus recall their agreement to enter into consultations not later than six months before the expiration of the present Agreement with a view to possibly concluding a new agreement. 4. 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 date of the Republic of Belarus' accession to the WTO. 5. 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 legal procedures necessary to this end have been completed. In the meantime, it shall be applied provisionally from 1 January 2008 on the condition of reciprocity. Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration.’

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.