ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS, AND INTERNATIONAL
TRADE (SUB-COMMITTEE A)
BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENTS ON TEXTILES
AND CLOTHING
Letter from the Rt Hon Ian McCartney MP,
Minister for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs, Department
of Trade and Industry/Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the Chairman
I am writing to inform you that the European
Commission intend to bring forward a mandate to renew the bilateral
textile and clothing agreement with Belarus.
As you may be aware, on 1 January 2005 all textiles
and clothing licensing controls under the Multi-Fibre Arrangement
(MFA) were liberalised as part of the GATT/WTO Uruguay Round Agreement
on Textiles and Clothing (ATC). However, the ATC only applies
to WTO member countries and the Commission intend to renew the
agreements with non-WTO Countries as they expire. As soon as these
countries join the WTO, the licensing parts of these agreements
will lapse (any market access commitments will remain). The non-WTO
Countries are:
There are political and human rights concerns
with Belarus and any proposal that gives Belarus better access
to the EU market will take these concerns into account. Not renewing
the textiles and clothing agreement with Belarus will automatically
give Belarus improved access to the EU market.
24 July 2006
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