Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of Thailand 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: 2006-03-16
Institutions: European Community, Thailand
Subjects: GATT, Thailand, accession to the European Union, customs territory (EU), fish product, rice, tariff agreement, tariff quota, trade agreement (EU)

5.5.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 120/19

AGREEMENT

in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Kingdom of
Thailand 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

Bangkok,

Sir,

Following the initiation of negotiations between the European Communities (EC) and the Kingdom of
Thailand (Thailand) under Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 for 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 EC, the
following is agreed between the EC and the Thailand in order to conclude the negotiations initiated
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 of EC 15.

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

Thailand accepts the basic components of the EC's approach to adjusting the obligation of the EC 15 and
those 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 following the recent enlargement of the EC: netting out of export
commitments; netting out of tariff quotas; and aggregation of domestic support commitments.

This Agreement shall enter into force on the date on which the EC and Thailand have exchanged letters 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

L 120/20

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

5.5.2006

ANNEX

1604 20 70: a new annual tariff rate quota of 2 558 tonnes of which 1 816 tonnes shall be allocated to Thailand, the rest
erga omnes, with an in quota rate of 0 %, out of quota rate 24 %.

1604 20 50: a new annual tariff rate quota of 2 275 tonnes of which 1 410 tonnes shall be allocated to Thailand, the rest
erga omnes, with an in quota rate of 0 %, out of quota rate 25 %.

1006 10 (Paddy rice): a new annual tariff rate quota (erga omnes) of 7 tonnes, in quota rate 15 %.

1006 20 (Husked rice): a new annual tariff rate quota (erga omnes) of 1 634 tonnes, in quota rate 15 %.

1006 30 (Semi/wholly milled rice): an increase in annual tariff rate quota of 25 516 tonnes (erga omnes) in the current EC
15 quota, in quota rate 0 %.

A country allocation of 1 200 tonnes to Thailand to be integrated in the current EC 15 semi/wholly milled rice quota, in-
quota rate 0 %.

1006 40 (Broken rice): a new annual tariff rate quota of 31 788 tonnes (erga omnes) in the current EC 15 quota, in quota
rate 0 %.

5.5.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 120/21

B. Letter from the Kingdom of Thailand

Bangkok,

Sir,

Reference is made to your letter stating:

‘Following the initiation of negotiations between the European Communities (EC) and the Kingdom of
Thailand (Thailand) under Article XXIV:6 and Article XXVIII of GATT 1994 for 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 EC, the following is agreed between the EC and Thailand in order to conclude the negotiations
initiated 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 of EC 15.

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

Thailand accepts the basic components of the EC's approach to adjusting the obligation of the EC 15
and those 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 following the recent enlargement of the EC:
netting out of export commitments; netting out of tariff quotas; and aggregation of domestic support
commitments.

This Agreement shall enter into force on the date on which the EC and Thailand have exchanged letters
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 Kingdom of Thailand