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: 2005-12-28
Institutions: Belarus, European Community
Subjects: Belarus, revision of an agreement, textile product, trade agreement (EU)

28.12.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 345/23

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

Letter from the European Community

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 29 November 2004 (hereafter referred to
as the Agreement).

2.

In view of the expiry of the Agreement on 31 December 2005 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), second and third sentences, of the Agreement shall be replaced by the

following:

‘It shall be applicable until 31 December 2006.’

2.2. Annex II which sets out the quantitative restrictions for exports from the Republic of Belarus to 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 2006 to 31 December 2006 by Appendix 2 to this letter.

2.4. Imports into Belarus of textile and clothing products of European Community origin shall be subject in
2006 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 2005 as specified in the Exchange of Letters initialled on 29 November 2004.

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.

L 345/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

28.12.2005

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 provi-
sionally from 1 January 2006 on the condition of reciprocity.

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

For the European Community

28.12.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 345/25

Appendix 1

‘ANNEX II

Unit

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

T pieces

T pieces

T pieces

T pieces

T pieces

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

T pairs

T pieces

T pieces

T pieces

T pieces

T pieces

T pieces

T pieces

T pieces

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

T pieces

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

tonnes

Belarus

Category

Group IA

Group IB

Group IIA

Group IIB

Group IIIA

Group IIIB

Group IV

T pieces: thousand of pieces’

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

Quota as from 1 January 2006

1 585

6 000

242

1 672

1 105

1 550

1 252

1 160

363

329

524

255

241

5 959

2 651

1 569

186

930

844

1 117

468

329

184

387

1 309

463

207

356

377

208

95

2 100

471

L 345/26

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

28.12.2005

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 2006

5 055

7 047

9 398

7 054

2 402

4 749

744

4 120

839

2 741

706

3 434

1 392

5 337

709

931’

Category

4

5

6

7

8

12

13

15

16

21

24

26/27

29

73

83

74

28.12.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 345/27

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.

2.

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 29 November 2004 (hereafter
referred to as the Agreement).

In view of the expiry of the Agreement on 31 December 2005 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), second and third sentences, of the Agreement shall be replaced by the

following:

“It shall be applicable until 31 December 2006.”

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

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 2006 to 31 December 2006 by Appendix 2 to this letter.

2.4.

Imports into Belarus of textile and clothing products of European Community origin shall be
subject in 2006 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 2005 as specified in the Exchange of Letters initialled on 29 November
2004.

3.

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.

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 2006 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