Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and Australia pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of concessions in the schedules of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic in the course of their accession to the European Union
Date: 2006-02-07
Institutions: Australia, European Community
Subjects: Australia, GATT, accession to the European Union, customs territory (EU), meat, milk product, sugar, tariff agreement, tariff quota, trade agreement (EU)

L 47/54

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

17.2.2006

AGREEMENT IN THE FORM OF AN EXCHANGE OF LETTERS

between the European Community and Australia pursuant to Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 relating to the modification of
concessions in the schedules of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of
Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic
of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic in the course of
their accession to the European Union

A. Letter from the European Community

Brussels,

Sir,

Following the initiation of negotiations between the European Communities (EC) and Australia under Article
XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 for the modification of concessions in the schedules of Czech
Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania,
the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the
Slovak Republic in the course of their accession to the EC, the following is agreed between the EC and
Australia with a view to concluding the negotiations opened following the EC’s notification of 19 January
2004 to the WTO pursuant to Article XXIV:6 of GATT 1994.

The EC agrees to incorporate in its schedule for the customs territory of EC 25, the concessions that were
included in its previous schedule.

The EC agrees that it will incorporate in its schedule for the EC 25 the concessions contained in the Annex
to this Agreement.

This Agreement shall enter into force on the date on which the EC receives from Australia a duly executed
letter of agreement, following consideration by the parties in accordance with their own procedures. The EC
shall use its best endeavours to put in place the appropriate implementing measures before 1 January 2006
and under no circumstances later than 1 July 2006.

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

On behalf of the
European Community

17.2.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 47/55

ANNEX

— Add 136 tonnes (carcase weight) to the allocation for Australia under the EC tariff rate quota for sheep meat; ‘meat of

sheep or goats, fresh, chilled or frozen’ (tariff item number 0204),

— a country allocated (Australia) tariff rate quota 9 925 tonnes of raw cane sugar for refining (tariff item number

1701 11 10), in quota rate EUR 98 per tonne,

— add 4 003 tonnes (erga omnes) in EC tariff rate quota for ‘meat of bovine animals, frozen; unseparated or separated
forequarters; boneless’ and ‘edible offal of bovine animals, frozen; thick skirt and thin skirt. The meat imported shall
be used for processing’ (tariff item numbers 0202 20 30, 0202 30, 0206 29 91),

— add 150 tonnes (product weight) to the allocation for Australia under the EC tariff rate quota for ‘high quality meat of
bovine animals, fresh, chilled or frozen, with or without bone; edible offal of bovine animals, fresh, chilled or frozen’
(tariff item numbers ex 0201, ex 0202, ex 0206 10 95 and ex 0206 29 91),

— add 461 tonnes to the allocation for Australia under the EC tariff rate quota for Cheddar cheese (tariff item number

ex 0406 90 21),

— add 1 360 tonnes (erga omnes) in the EC tariff rate quota for butter (tariff item numbers 0405 10, 0405 90).

In quota rates of the EC 15 shall apply.

L 47/56

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

17.2.2006

B. Letter from Australia

Brussels,

Sir,

Reference is made to your letter stating:

‘Following the initiation of negotiations between the European Communities (EC) and Australia under
Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 for the modification of concessions in the schedules
of Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the
Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the
Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic in the course of their accession to the EC, the following
is agreed between the EC and Australia with a view to concluding the negotiations opened following
the EC’s notification of 19 January 2004 to the WTO pursuant to Article XXIV:6 of GATT 1994.

The EC agrees to incorporate in its schedule for the customs territory of EC 25, the concessions that
were included in its previous schedule.

The EC agrees that it will incorporate in its schedule for the EC 25 the concessions contained in the
Annex to this Agreement.

This Agreement shall enter into force on the date on which the EC receives from Australia a duly
executed letter of agreement, following consideration by the parties in accordance with their own
procedures. The EC shall use its best endeavours to put in place the appropriate implementing
measures before 1 January 2006 and under no circumstances later than 1 July 2006.’

I hereby have the honour to express my government’s agreement.

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

On behalf of the
Government of Australia