Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Russian Federation establishing a double-checking system without quantitative limits in respect of the export of certain steel products from the Russian Federation to the European Community
Date: 2003-07-30
Institutions: European Community, Russia
Subjects: Russia, customs inspection, export, iron and steel product, originating product, quantitative restriction, trade agreement (EU)

28.8.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 216/27

AGREEMENT IN THE FORM OF AN EXCHANGE OF LETTERS

between the European Community and the Russian Federation establishing a double-checking
system without quantitative limits in respect of the export of certain steel products from the
Russian Federation to the European Community

A. Letter from the European Community

Moscow, 30 July 2003

Sir,

1. I have the honour to refer to the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the
European Community and the Russian Federation of 13 October 1997, establishing a double-checking
system, without quantitative limits, in respect of the export of certain steel products covered by the EC
and ECSC Treaties from the Russian Federation to the European Community. The system entered into
force on 5 November 1997 for the period between that date and 31 December 1999, and was renewed
between that date and 31 December 2001.

2. During the negotiations between the European Coal and Steel Community and the Russian Federation
concerning a new steel agreement, the Parties agreed to extend the double-checking system, without
quantitative limits, in respect of certain steel products for the period 1 January 2002 to 31 December
2004 in order to improve transparency and to avoid possible diversions of trade. The details of the
double-checking system are annexed to this letter.

3. This Exchange of Letters is without prejudice to the application of the relevant provisions of the bilat-
eral agreements on trade and trade-related matters, in particular those relating to anti-dumping and safe-
guard measures.

4. Either Party may at any time propose amendments to the Annex or the appendices thereto, which shall
require the mutual consent of the Parties and shall take effect as agreed by them. Should anti-dumping
or safeguard investigations be initiated or measures introduced in the European Community concerning
a product under the double-checking system, the Russian Federation will decide whether to exclude the
product in question from the double-checking system. Such a decision shall not affect the entry into
free circulation of the product in question into the Community.

5. In conclusion, I have the honour to propose that if this letter, the Annex and the appendices thereto are
acceptable to your Government, this letter and your confirmation shall together constitute an agreement
between the European Community and the Russian Federation, which shall enter into force on the date
of your reply.

Please accept, sir, the assurance of my highest consideration,

For the European Community

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Official Journal of the European Union

28.8.2003

B. Letter from the Government of the Russian Federation

Moscow, 30 July 2003

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of today's date which reads as follows:

‘1. I have the honour to refer to the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the
European Community and the Russian Federation of 13 October 1997, establishing a double-
in respect of the export of certain steel products
checking system, without quantitative limits,
covered by the EC and ECSC Treaties from the Russian Federation to the European Community.
The system entered into force on 5 November 1997 for the period between that date and 31
December 1999, and was renewed between that date and 31 December 2001.

2. During the negotiations between the European Coal and Steel Community and the Russian Federa-
tion concerning a new steel agreement, the Parties agreed to extend the double-checking system,
without quantitative limits, in respect of certain steel products for the period 1 January 2002 to 31
December 2004 in order to improve transparency and to avoid possible diversions of trade. The
details of the double-checking system are annexed to this letter.

3. This Exchange of Letters is without prejudice to the application of the relevant provisions of the
bilateral agreements on trade and trade-related matters, in particular those relating to anti-dumping
and safeguard measures.

4. Either Party may at any time propose amendments to the Annex or the Appendices thereto, which
shall require the mutual consent of the Parties and shall take effect as agreed by them. Should anti-
dumping or safeguard investigations be initiated or measures introduced in the European Commu-
nity concerning a product under the double-checking system, the Russian Federation will decide
whether to exclude the product in question from the double-checking system. Such a decision shall
not affect the entry into free circulation of the product in question into the Community.

5. In conclusion, I have the honour to propose that if this letter, the Annex and the appendices
thereto are acceptable to your Government, this letter and your confirmation shall together consti-
tute an agreement between the European Community and the Russian Federation, which shall enter
into force on the date of your reply.’

I have the honour to confirm that the above is acceptable to my Government and that your letter, this
reply and the attached Annex and appendices together constitute an agreement, in accordance with your
proposal.

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

For the Government of the Russian Federation

28.8.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

L 216/29

ANNEX

1.1. For the period running from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2004, unless both Parties agree to terminate the
system earlier, imports into the Community of the products listed in Appendix I originating in the Russian Federa-
tion shall be subject to the presentation of a surveillance document conforming to the model shown in Appendix II
issued by the authorities in the Community.

1.2. For the period running from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2004, unless both Parties agree to terminate the
system earlier, imports into the Community of the products listed in Appendix I and which originate in the Russian
Federation shall, in addition, be subject to the issue of an export document by the competent Russian authorities.
The importer must present the original of the export document not later than 31 March of the year following that
in which the goods covered by the document were shipped.

1.3. Shipment is considered to have taken place on the date of loading on to the exporting means of transport.

1.4. The export document shall conform to the model shown in Appendix III. It shall be valid for exports throughout

the customs territory of the Community.

1.5. The Russian Federation shall notify the Commission of the European Communities of the names and addresses of
the appropriate Russian governmental authorities which are authorised to issue and verify export documents
together with specimens of the stamps and signatures they use. The Russian Federation shall also notify the
Commission of any change in these particulars.

1.6. The classification of the products covered by this Agreement is based on the tariff and statistical nomenclature of
the Community (hereinafter called the ‘CN’). The origin of the products covered by this Agreement shall be deter-
mined in accordance with the rules in force in the Community.

1.7. The competent authorities of the Community undertake to inform the Russian Federation of any changes in the CN

in respect of products covered by this Agreement before their date of entry into force in the Community.

1.8. Certain technical provisions on the implementation of the double-checking system are set out in Appendix IV.

2.1. The Russian Federation undertakes to supply the Community with precise statistical information on the export
documents issued by the Russian authorities pursuant to 1.2. Such information shall be transmitted to the Commu-
nity by the end of the month following the month to which the statistics relate.

2.2. The Community undertakes to supply the Russian authorities with precise statistical information on surveillance
documents issued by Member States in respect of the export documents issued by the Russian authorities pursuant
to 1.1. Such information shall be transmitted to the Russian authorities by the end of the month following the
month to which the statistics relate.

3.

If necessary, at the request of either of the Parties, consultations shall be held on any problems arising from the
operation of this Agreement. Such consultations shall be held promptly. Any consultations held under this Article
shall be approached by both Parties in a spirit of cooperation and with a desire to reconcile the difference between
them.

4. Any notices to be given hereunder shall be given:

— in respect of the Community, to the Commission of the European Communities;

— in respect of the Russian Federation, to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Department of Non-

Tariff Regulation.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Appendix I

List of products subject to double-checking without quantitative limits

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Cold-rolled narrow strip of a width not exceeding 500 mm

7211 23 99

7211 29 50

7211 29 90

7211 90 90

Grain non-oriented electrical sheet

7211 23 91

7225 19 10

7225 19 90

7226 19 10

7226 19 30

7226 19 90

Grain-oriented electrical sheet

7226 11 90

Appendix II

Appendix III

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Appendix IV

RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Technical annex on the double-checking system

1. The export documents shall measure 210 × 297 mm. The paper used shall be white writing paper, sized, not
containing mechanical pulp, and weighing not less than 25 g/m2. They shall be made out in English. If they are
completed by hand, entries must be in ink and in printed script. These documents may comprise additional copies
duly indicated as such. If the documents have several copies only the top copy is the original. This copy shall be
clearly marked as ‘original’ and other copies as ‘copies’. Only the original shall be accepted by the competent authori-
ties of the Community as being valid for the control of export to the Community in accordance with the provisions
of the double-checking system.

2. Each document shall bear a standardised serial number, whether or not printed, by which it can be identified. This

number shall be composed of the following elements:

— two letters identifying the exporting country as follows: RU = Russian Federation,

— two letters identifying the intended Member State of customs clearance as follows:

BE

= Belgium

DK = Denmark

DE

= Germany

EL

ES

FR

IE

IT

= Greece

= Spain

= France

= Ireland

= Italy

LU = Luxembourg

NL

AT

PT

FI

SE

= Netherlands

= Austria

= Portugal

= Finland

= Sweden

GB

= United Kingdom,

— a one-digit number identifying the year, corresponding to the last figure in the respective year, e.g. ‘2’ for 2002,

— a two-digit number from 01 to 99, identifying the particular issuing office concerned in the exporting country,

— a five-digit number running consecutively from 00001 to 99999 allocated to the intended Member State of

customs clearance.

3. The export documents shall be valid for the calendar year during which they are issued, as shown in Box No 3 of the

export document.

4. Since the importer needs to present the original export document when requesting an import document, export
documents should, as far as possible, be issued in respect of individual commercial transactions, not global contracts.

5. The Russian Federation need not show price information on the export document but that information is available to

the competent Commission authorities on request.

6. Export documents may be issued after the shipment of the products to which they relate. In such cases they must

bear the endorsement ‘issued retrospectively’.

7. In the event of a theft, loss or destruction of an export document, the exporter may apply to the competent govern-
mental authority which issued the document for a duplicate to be made out on the basis of the export documents in
his possession. The duplicate of any such document so issued shall bear the endorsement ‘duplicate’. The duplicate
shall bear the date of the original export document.

8. The competent authorities of the Community shall be informed immediately of the withdrawal or modification of

any export documents already issued and, where relevant, of the basis for such action.