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
Date: 2005-03-18
Institutions: Belarus, European Community
Subjects: Belarus, interim agreement (EU), textile product, trade agreement (EU), trade by product

18.3.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 72/19

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 to
as 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 the
Agreement, for a further period of one year, subject to the following amendments and conditions:

The text of Article 19(1), second and third sentences, of the Agreement shall be replaced by the

2.1.
following:

‘It shall be applicable until 31 December 2005.’

Annex II which sets out the quantitative restrictions for exports from the Republic of Belarus to the

2.2.
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 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 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 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 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 2005 on the condition of reciprocity.

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

For the Council of the European Union

L 72/20

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

18.3.2005

Appendix 1

‘ANNEX II

Belarus

Category

Group IA

Group IB

Group IIA

Group IIB

Group IIIA

Group IIIB

Group IV

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

20

22

23

39

12

13

15

16

21

24

26/27

29

73

83

33

36

37

50

67

74

90

115

117

118

Unit

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

1 000 pairs

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

1 000 pieces

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

Quota as from 1 January 2005

1 585

5 100

233

1 600

1 058

1 400

1 200

1 110

363

318

498

255

230

5 958

2 651

1 500

186

889

803

1 069

450

315

178

387

1 242

463

196

339

361

199

87

1 800

448’

18.3.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 72/21

Category

4

5

6

7

8

12

13

15

16

21

24

26/27

29

73

83

74

Appendix 2

‘ANNEX TO PROTOCOL C

Unit

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

1 000 pieces

tonnes

1 000 pieces

As from 1 January 2005

4 733

6 599

8 800

6 605

2 249

4 446

697

3 858

786

2 567

661

3 215

1 304

4 998

664

872’

L 72/22

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

18.3.2005

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 the
Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters initialled on 23 December 2003 (hereafter referred to
as 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 the Agreement, for a further period of one year, subject to the following amendments and
conditions:

The text of Article 19(1), second and third sentences, of the Agreement shall be replaced by the

2.1.
following:

‘It shall be applicable until 31 December 2005.’

Annex II which sets out the quantitative restrictions for exports from the Republic of Belarus to

2.2.
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.

Imports into Belarus of textile and clothing products of European Community origin shall be
2.4.
subject in 2005 to custom duties not exceeding those provided for 2004 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 2004 as specified in the Exchange of Letters initialled on 23 December 2003.

Should the Republic of Belarus become a Member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) before
3.
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.

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 legal procedures necessary to this end have been completed. In the meantime, it shall be applied
provisionally 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 Belarus