2003/915/EC: Council Decision of 22 December 2003 on the provisional application of a bilateral Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Belarus on trade in textile products
Date: 2003-12-22
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Belarus, bilateral agreement, quantitative restriction, textile product, trade agreement (EU), trading operation

L 345/150

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

31.12.2003

COUNCIL DECISION

of 22 December 2003

on the provisional application of a bilateral Agreement between the European Community and the
Republic of Belarus on trade in textile products

(2003/915/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Article 2

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

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

The bilateral Agreement shall be applied on a provisional basis,
pending its formal conclusion and subject to reciprocal provi-
sional application of the bilateral Agreement by the Republic of
Belarus (1), from 1 January 2004.

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

The Commission has negotiated on behalf of the Com-
munity a bilateral Agreement to extend for one year the
existing bilateral Agreement and protocols on trade in
textile products with the Republic of Belarus, with quan-
titative limits adjusted to take into account annual
the European
growth rates and the enlargement of
Union.

Subject to their possible conclusion at a later date, the
bilateral Agreement should be signed on behalf
the
Community.

The bilateral Agreement should be applied on a provi-
sional basis as from 1 January 2004, pending the
completion of procedures required for their conclusion,
subject
to reciprocal provisional application by the
Republic of Belarus,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Subject to possible conclusion at a later date, the President of
the Council
is hereby authorised to designate the persons
empowered to sign on behalf of the European 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 initialled in
Brussels on 1 April 1993, as last amended by an Agreement in
the form of an Exchange of Letters initialled on 11 November
1999 (‘the bilateral Agreement’).

The text of the bilateral Agreement is attached to this Decision.

Article 3

1.
In case Belarus fails to fulfil its obligations under para-
graph 2.5 of the bilateral Agreement, the quota for 2004 will
be reduced to the levels applicable in 2003.

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 (2).

Article 4

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

It shall take effect on the day of its publication in the Official
Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 22 December 2003.

For the Council

The President

G. ALEMANNO

(1) The date from which provisional application will become effective
will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union, C
series.

(2) OJ L 275, 8.11.1993, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regu-

lation (EC) No 138/2003 (OJ L 23, 28.1.2003, p. 1).