Commission Regulation (EC) No 1417/2004 of 29 July 2004 on surveillance measures regarding imports of certain textile products originating in the Syrian Arab Republic
Date: 2004-07-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Syria, import, originating product, surveillance concerning imports, textile fibre

L 258/8

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

5.8.2004

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1417/2004

of 29 July 2004

on surveillance measures regarding imports of certain textile products originating in the Syrian
Arab Republic

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 517/94 of 7
March 1994 on common rules for imports of textile products
from certain third countries not covered by bilateral agreements,
protocols or other
specific
Community import rules (1), and in particular Article 11(1)(b)
thereof,

arrangements, or by other

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2040/2002 of 15
regarding
November 2002 on surveillance measures
imports of certain textile products originating in the
Syrian Arab Republic (2) expires on 17 May 2004.

from almost nil

Surveillance of imports of certain Syrian textile products
over the last 18 months has shown that the surge of
imports into the Community,
in 2000, of very low-
priced cotton yarn of Category 1 originating in the
Syrian Arab Republic (Syria), which had entailed a rise
in imports
in 1996 to 10 % of
Community imports in 2000, had stabilised in the first
there has been a
years of
further
increased by
39,8 % over 2002 in volume and by 26,1 % in value.
According to the latest data in 2004 that
trend is
continuing,
in January 2004 have
imports
doubled in volume compared to the same month in
2003.

surge in 2003: 2003 imports

the surveillance. However,

since

(3)

The investigations conducted by the Commission in
2001 and in 2002 had demonstrated that the increase
in Syria’s production capacity and, simultaneously, in its
Community export sales, was related to an increase in
the capacity of production of cotton yarn in Syria. This is

(1) OJ L 67, 10.3.1994, p. 1. Regulation as

(EC) No 2309/2003 (OJ

last amended by
L 342,

Commission Regulation
30.12.2003, p. 21).

almost exclusively export-oriented and mainly focused on
the Community market. A further capacity increase,
which seems to have taken place since then, seems to
have been the cause of the 2003 surge in Syrian exports
to the Community.

The past stability in Syrian export volume thus seems to
have vanished and exports have become more significant.
The average Syrian export prices to the Community are
still decreasing, accounting for
the lowest
Community import prices.

some of

the

rise

in such exports

The results of the investigations carried out so far point
to a likely further price reduction and a consequent
resumption of
to the
Community, due to the installation by Syria around
mid-2002 of new capacity for cotton yarn production.
However, all the main Community suppliers of cotton
yarn are subject either to quotas or to import licensing,
with the exceptions of Egypt since 1 January 2004, and
of Customs Union partner Turkey.

Consequently, imports into the Community of Category
1 cotton yarn originating in Syria should continue to be
closely monitored. It is therefore appropriate to renew
the surveillance mechanism put in place by Commission
Regulation (EC) No 956/2001 (3). Accordingly, cotton
yarn products shipped from Syria and put into free circu-
lation in the Community should enter the Community
under the surveillance mechanism and subject
to the
requirements as to production of an import document
set out in Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 517/94.

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with the opinion of the committee estab-
lished by Regulation (EC) No 517/94,

(2) OJ L 313, 16.11.2002, p. 24.

(3) OJ L 134, 17.5.2001, p. 31.

5.8.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 258/9

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Article 2

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

Imports into the Community of cotton yarn of Category 1,
originating in the Syrian Arab Republic and released for free
circulation into the Community, shall be subject
to prior
Community surveillance.

It shall apply until 31 December 2004.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 29 July 2004.

For the Commission

Pascal LAMY
Member of the Commission