Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado

EL CONSEJO DE LAS COMUNIDADES EUROPEAS,

Visto el Tratado constitutivo de la Comunidad Económica Europea y, en particular, su Artículo 113,

Vista la recomendación de la Comisión,

Considerando que es conveniente aprobar el Acuerdo sobre el comercio de productos textiles entre la Comunidad Económica Europea y la República Árabe de Egipto,

DECIDE:

Artículo 1

Queda aprobado, en nombre de la Comunidad Económica Europea, el Acuerdo sobre el comercio de productos textiles entre la Comunidad Económica Europea y la República Árabe de Egipto.

El texto del Acuerdo se adjunta a la presente Decisión.

Artículo 2

El Presidente del Consejo procederá a la notificación prevista en el artículo 19 del Acuerdo (1).

Hecho en Luxemburgo, el 8 de abril de 1986.

Por el Consejo

El Presidente

G. M. V. van AARDENNE

ACUERDO

entre la Comunidad Económica Europea y la República Árabe de Egipto sobre el comercio de productos textiles (2)

AGREEMENT

between the European Economic Community and the Arab Republic of Egypt on trade in textile products

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

of the one part, and

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT,

of the other part,

DESIRING to promote, with a view to permanent cooperation and in conditions providing every security for trade, the orderly and equitable development of trade in textile products between the European Economic Community (hereinafter referred to as "the Community") and the Arab Republic of Egypt (hereinafter referred to as "Egypt"),

RESOLVED to take the fullest possible account of the serious economic and social problems at present affecting the textile industry in both importing and exporting countries, and, in particular, to eliminate real risks of market disruption on the market of the Community and real risks of disruption to the textile trade of Egypt,

HAVING REGARD to the Cooperation Agreement between the Community and Egypt signed on 18 January 1977,

HAVING REGARD to the Agreement regarding International Trade in Textiles (hereinafter referred to as "the Geneva Arrangement"), and in particular Article 4 thereof, and to the conditions set out in the Protocol extending the Arrangement together with the Conclusions adopted on 22 December 1981 by the Textiles Committee,

HAVE DECIDED to conclude this Agreement and to this end have designated as their Plenipotentiaries:

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES:

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT:

WHO HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION I

Trade Arrangements

Article 1

1. The parties recognize and confirm that, subject to the provisions of this Agreement and without prejudice to their rights and obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the conduct of their mutual trade in textile products shall be governed by the provisions of the Geneva Arrangement.

2. In respect of the products covered by this Agreement, the Community undertakes not to introduce quantitative restrictions under Article XIX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade or Article 3 of the Geneva Arrangement.

3. Measures having equivalent effect to quantitative restrictions on the importation into the Community of the products covered by this Agreement shall be prohibited.

Article 2

1. This Agreement shall apply to trade in textile products of cotton originating in Egypt which are listed in Annex I.

2. The classification of the products covered by this Agreement in based on the nomenclature of the Common Customs Tariff and on the Nomenclature of Goods for the External Trade Statistics of the Community and the Statistics of Trade between Member States (NIMEXE).

3. The origin of the products covered by this Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the rules in force in the Community.

The procedures for control of the origin of the products referred to above are laid down in Protocol A.

Article 3

Egypt agrees for each Agreement year to restrain its exports to the Community of the products described in Annex II to the limits set out therein.

Exports of textile products set out in Annex II shall be subject to a double-checking system specified in Protocol A.

Article 4

Egypt and the Community recognize the special and differential character of reimports of textile products into the Community after processing in Egypt.

Such reimports may be agreed upon betwen the two parties outside the quantitative limits established under this Agreement provided that they are effected in accordance with the regulations on economic outward processing in force in the Community.

Article 5

Exports of cottage industry fabrics woven on hand- or foot-operated looms, garments or other articles obtained manually from such fabrics and traditional folklore handicraft products shall not be subject to quantitative limits, provided that these products meet the conditions laid down in Protocol B.

Article 6

1. Imports into the Community of textile products covered by this Agreement shall not be subject to the quantitative limits established in Annex II, provided that they are declared to be for re-export outside the Community in the same state or after processing, under the administrative system of control set up for this purpose within the Community. However, the release for home use of products imported under the conditions referred to above shall be subject to the production of an export licence issued by the Egyptian authorities, and to proof of origin in accordance with the provisions of Protocol A.

2. Where the Community authorities have evidence that imports of textile products have been set off against a quantitative limit established under this Agreement, but that the products have subsequently been re-exported outside the Community, the authorities concerned shall inform the Egyptian authorities within four weeks of the quantities involved and authorize imports of identical quantities of the same products, which shall not be set off against the quantitative limits established under this Agreement for the current or the following year.

Article 7

1. In any Agreement year, advance use of a portion of the quantitative limit established for the following Agreement year is authorized for each category of products up to 5% of the quantitative limit for the current Agreement year.

Amounts delivered in advance shall be deducted from the corresponding quantitative limits established for the following Agreement year.

2. Carry-over to the corresponding quantitative limit for the following Agreement year of amounts not used during any Agreement year is authorized for each category of products up to 5 % of the quantitative limit for the current Agreement year.

3. Transfers in respect of categories in Group I shall not be made from any category except as follows:

- transfers between categories 2 and 3 and from category 1 to categories 2 and 3 may be made up to 5 % of the quantitative limits for the category to which the transfer is made,

- transfers between categories 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 may be made up to 5 % of the quantitative limit for the category to which the transfer is made. Transfers into any category in Groups II and III may be made from any category or categories in Groups I, II and III up to 5 % of the quantitative limit for the category to which the transfer is made.

4. The table of equivalence applicable to the transfers referred to above is given in Annex I.

5. The increase in any category of products resulting from the cumulative application of the provisions in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 above during an Agreement year shall not exceed 15 %.

6. Prior notification shall be given the authorities of Egypt in the event of recourse to the provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3.

Article 8

1. Exports of textile products not listed in Annex II may be made subject to quantitative limits by Egypt on the conditions laid down in the following paragraphs.

2. Where the Community finds, under the system of administrative control set up, that the level of imports of products in a given category not listed in Annex II originating in Egypt exceeds, in relation to the preceding year's total imports into the Community from all sources of products in that category, the following rates:

- for categories of products in Group I 0,5 %,

- for categories of products in Group II 2,5 %,

- for categories of products in Group III 5,0 %

it may request the opening of consultations in accordance with the procedure described in Article 17, with a view to reaching agreement on an appropriate restraint level for the products in such category.

The Community shall authorize the importation of products of the said category shipped from Egypt before the date on which the request for consultations was submitted.

3. Pending a mutually satisfactory solution, Egypt undertakes to limit exports of the products in the category concerned to the Community or to the region or regions of the Community market specified by the Community for a provisional period of three months from the date on which the request for consultations is made. Such provisional limit shall be established at 25 % of the level of imports reached during the calendar year preceding that in which imports exceeded the level resulting from the application of the formula set out in paragraph 2, and gave rise to the request for consultations or 25 % of the level resulting from the application of the formula set out in paragraph 2, whichever is the higher.

4. Should the Parties be unable in the course of consultations to reach a satisfactory solution within the period specified in Article 17, the Community shall have the right to introduce a definitive quantitative limit at an annual level not lower than the level resulting from the application of the formula set out in paragraph 2, or 106 % of the level of imports reached during the calendar year preceding that in which imports exceeded the level resulting from the application of the formula set out in paragraph 2 and gave rise to the request for consultations, whichever is the higher.

The annual level so fixed shall be revised upwards after consultations in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 17, with a view to fulfilling the conditions set out in paragraph 2, should the trend of total imports into the Community of the product in question make this necessary.

5. The limits introduced under paragraph 2 or paragraph 4 may in no case be lower than the level of imports of products in that category originating in Egypt in 1980.

6. Quantitative limits may also he established by the Community on a regional basis in accordance with the provisions of Protocol C.

7. The annual growth rate for the quantitative limits introduced under this Article shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Protocol D.

8. The provisions of this Article shall not apply where the percentages specified in paragraph 2 have been reached as a result of a fall in total imports into the Community, and not as a result of an increase in exports of products originating in Egypt.

9. In the event of the provisions of paragraph 2, 3 or 4 being applied, Egypt undertakes to issue export licences for products covered by contracts concluded before the introduction of the quantitative limit, up to the volume of the quantitative limit fixed.

10. Up to the date of communication of the statistics referred to in Article 10 (6), the provisions of paragraph 2 of this Article shall apply on the basis of the annual statistics previously communicated by the Community.

11. The provisions of this Agreement which concern exports of products subject to the quantitative limits established in Annex II shall also apply to products for which quantitative limits are introduced under this Article.

Article 9

1. Where the Community ascertains that the level of imports in a given category of Group I subject to quantitative limits set out in Annex II exceeds in any Agreement year the level of imports in the preceding year by 10 % of the level of the quantitative limit set out in Annex II for the current Agreement year, it may request, with a view to avoiding palpable damage to domestic industry, the opening of consultations in accordance with the provisions described in Article 17 with a view to reaching agreement on:

- the suspension, wholly or in part, of the provisions of Article 7, or

- a modification of the quantitative limit set out in Annex II by the establishment of an ad hoc limit below the existing quantitative limit,

- as well as the corresponding equitable and quantifiable compensation which constitutes a mutually acceptable solution.

2. The Community shall authorize the importation of products of the said category shipped from Egypt before the date on which the request for consultations was submitted.

Pending a mutually satisfactory solution, Egypt undertakes for a period of one month from the date of notification of the request for consultations to limit exports of the products in the category concerned to the Community or to the region or regions of the Community market specified by the Community to one-twelfth of the level of exports reached during the preceding calendar year.

3. A quantitative limit modified as a result of the application of paragraph 1 in any year preceding the final Agreement year shall be subject to an equal annual rate so as to ensure that the level of the quantitative limit set out in Annex II for the final Agreement year is regained in the year.

4. Should the Parties be unable in the course of consultations to reach a satisfactory solution within the period specified in Article 17, Egypt undertakes, if so requested by the Community:

- to suspend wholly or in part, the provisions of Article 7 in respect of the Community or any of its regions for the category concerned, or

- to modify the quantitative limit set out in Annex II for the category concerned so as to restrain exports to the Community or any of its regions to 125 % of imports attained during the preceding calendar year, or to the level of exports up to the date of the request for consultations plus the level of exports provided for during the consultation period under paragraph 2, whichever is the higher.

In the event that the provisions of this paragraph are applied, the Community undertakes to maintain an offer of equitable and quantifiable compensation.

The application of the measures provided for in this paragraph is limited to the year in which the measures are taken.

5. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply to a given category unless the quantitative limits established in Annex II for the Community for that category for the year 1983 represent at least 2,5% of total Community imports during 1980.

6. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not apply to a given category unless the level of imports originating in Egypt during the current Agreement year represent at least 50 % of the quantitative limit set out in Annex II for that category in the Community as a whole or in any region of regions of the Community concerned.

7. Any limit modified in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 1 or 4 may in no case be lower than the level of imports of products in that category originating in Egypt in 1980.

8. The provision of this Article also apply where the level referred to in paragraph 1 is exceeded in any of the Community's regions. In such a case, the compensation referred to in paragraphs 1 and 4 will concern the region or regions of the Community indicated in the Community's request for consultations.

9. With a view to limiting recourse to paragraph 1, Egypt undertakes to inform the Community of any sharp and substantial increase in the issue of export licences for any category which is likely to lead to the fulfilment of the conditions required for the application of this Article.

SECTION II

Administration of the Agreement

Article 10

1. Egypt undertakes to supply the Community with precise statistical information on all export licences issued by the Egyptian authorities for all categories of textile products subject to the quantitative limits established under this Agreement as well as on all certificates issued by the Egyptian authorities for all products referred to in Article 5 and subject to the provisions of Protocol B.

The Community shall likewise forward to the Egyptian authorities precise statistical information on import authorization or documents issued by the Community authorities in respect of export licences and certificates issued by Egypt.

2. The information referred to in paragraph 1 shall, for all categories of products, be forwarded before the end of the second month following the quarter to which the statistics relate.

3. The Community shall transmit to the Egyptian authorities import statistics for all products covered by the system of administrative control referred to in Article 8 (2) and for products covered by Article 6 (1).

4. The information referred to in paragraph 3 shall, for all categories of products, be transmitted before the end of the third month following the quarter to which the statistics relate.

5. Should it be found on analysis of the information exchanged that there are significant discrepancies between the returns for exports and those for imports, consultations may be initiated in accordance with the procedure specified in Article 17.

6. For the purpose of applying Articles 8 and 9, the Community undertakes to provide the Egyptian authorities before 15 April of each year with the preceding year's statistics on imports of all-textile products covered by this Agreement, broken down by supplying country and Community Member State.

Article 11

1. In case of divergent opinions between Egypt and the competent authorities at the point of entry into the Community on the classification of products covered by this Agreement, classification shall provisionally be based on indications provided by the Community, pending consultations in accordance with Article 17 with a view to reaching agreement on definitive classification of the product concerned.

2. The authorities of Egypt shall be informed of any amendment to the Common Customs Tariff or NIMEXE or any decision, made in accordance with the procedures in force in the Community, relating to the classification of products covered by this Agreement.

Any amendment to the Common Customs Tariff or NIMEXE or any decision which results in a modification of the classification of products covered by this Agreement shall not have the effect of reducing any quantitative limit established in Annex II.

The procedures for the application of this paragraph are set out in Protocol A.

Article 12

1. Egypt and the Community agree to cooperate fully in preventing the circumvention of this Agreement by transhipment, re-routeing or whatever other means.

2. Where information available to the Community, as a result of the investigations carried out in accordance with the procedures set out in Protocol A constitutes evidence that products of Egyptian origin subject to quantitative limits established under this Agreement have been transhipped, re-routed or otherwise imported into the Community in circumvention of this Agreement, the Community may request the opening of consultations in accordance with the procedures described in Article 17, with a view to reaching agreement on an equivalent adjustment of the corresponding quantitative limits established under this Agreement.

3. Pending the result of the consultations referred to in paragraph 2, Egypt shall as a precautionary measure, if so requested by the Community, make the necessary, arrangements to ensure that adjustments of quantitative limits liable to be agreed following the consultations referred to in paragraph 2, may he carried out for the quota year in which the request to open consultations in accordance with paragraph 2 was made, or for the following year if the quota for the current year is exhausted, where clear evidence of circumvention is provided.

4. Should the parties be unable in the course of consultations to reach a satisfactory solution within the period specified in Article 17, the Community, shall have the right, where clear evidence of circumvention has been provided, to deduct from the quantitative limit established under this Agreement amounts equivalent to the products of Egyptian origin.

Article 13

Egypt shall endeavour to ensure that exports of textile products subject to quantitative limits are spaced out as evenly as possible over an Agreement year, due account being taken, in particular, of seasonal factors.

Article 14

Should recourse be had to the denunciation provisions of Article 19 (4), the quantitative limits established in Annex II shall be adapted on a pro rata basis.

Article 15

1. For the purpose of the administration of this Agreement, the limits referred to in Article 3 shall be broken down by the Community into shares for each of its Member States.

2. Portions of the quantitative limits established in Annex II not used in one Member State of the Community, may be reallocated to another Member State in accordance with the procedures in force in the Community.

The Community undertakes to examine with care and reply, within four weeks to any request made for reallocation by, Egypt. In the event of agreement on such reallocation, the flexibility provisions set out in Article 7 shall continue to be applicable to the levels of the original allocation.

If, in the course of the application of this Agreement, Egypt finds that the breakdown of a limit established in Annex II causes particular difficulties, it may request the opening of consultations in accordance with Article 17 with a view to reaching a mutually satisfactory solution.

3. Should it appear in any given region of the Community that additional supplies are required, the Community may, where measures taken pursuant to paragraph 1 are inadequate to cover those requirements, authorize the importation of amounts greater than those stipulated in Annex II.

Article 16

1. Egypt and the Community undertake to refrain from discrimination in the allocation of export licences and import authorizations or documents referred to in Protocols A and B.

2. In implementing this Agreement, the Contracting Parties shall take care to maintain the traditional commercial practices and trade flows between the Community and Egypt.

3. Should either Party find that the application of this Agreement is disturbing existing commercial relations between importers in the Community and suppliers in Egypt, consultations shall be started promptly in accordance with the procedure specified in Article 17, with a view to remedying this situation.

Article 17

1. The special consultation procedures referred to in this Agreement other than those referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, shall be governed by the following rules:

- any request for consultations shall be notified in writing to the other Party,

- the request for consultations shall be followed within a reasonable period (and in any case not later than 15 days following the notification) by a statement setting out the reasons and circumstances which, in the opinion of the requesting Party, justify the submission of such a request,

- the Parties shall enter into consultations within one month at the latest of notification of the request, with a view to reaching agreement or a mutually acceptable conclusion within one further month at the latest.

2. The special consultation procedures referred to in Article 9 shall be governed by the following rules:

- any request for consultations shall be notified in writing to the other Party, together with a statement setting out the reasons and circumstances which, in the opinion of the requesting Party, justify the submission of such a request,

- the Parties shall enter into consultations within 15 days at the latest of notification of the request, with a view to reaching agreement or a mutually acceptable conclusion within a further 15 days at the latest.

3. If necessary, at the request of either of the Parties and in conformity with the provisions of the Geneva Arrangement, consultations shall be held on any problems arising from the application of this Agreement. Any consultations held under this Article shall be approached by both Parties in a spirit of cooperation and with a desire to reconcile the difference between them.

SECTION III

Final provisions

Article 18

This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community is applied and under the conditions laid down in that Treaty and, on the other hand, to the territory of Egypt.

Article 19

1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the date on which the Contracting Parties notify each other of the completion of the procedures necessary for this purpose. It shall be applicable until 31 December 1986.

2. This Agreement shall apply with effect from 1 January 1983.

3. Either Party may at any time propose modifications to this Agreement.

4. Either Party may at any time denounce this Agreement provided that at least 90 days' notice is given. In that event the Agreement shall come to an end on the expiry of the period of notice.

5. The Annexes and Protocols to this Agreement shall form an integral part thereof.

Article 20

This Agreement shall be drawn up in two copies in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian and Arabic languages, each of these texts being equally authentic.

ANNEX I

(TABLA OMITIDA)

Appendix to Annex I

Only those textile products which are set out in Annex I are subject to this Agreement

GROUP I A

(TABLA OMITIDA)

GROUP I B

(TABLA OMITIDA)

GROUP II A

(TABLA OMITIDA)

GROUP II B

(TABLA OMITIDA)

GROUP III A

(TABLA OMITIDA)

GROUP III B

(TABLA OMITIDA)

GROUP III C

(TABLA OMITIDA)

ANNEX II

For practical reasons the product descriptions used in Annex I are given in this Annex in abbreviated form

(TABLA OMITIDA)

PROTOCOL A

TITLE I

CLASSIFICATION

Article 1

1. The competent authorities of the Community undertake to inform Egypt of any changes in the Common Customs Tariff or NIMEXE before the date of their entry into effect in the Community.

2. The competent authorities of the Community undertake to inform Egypt of any decisions relating to the classification of products subject to the Agreement within one month of their adoption at the latest. Such communication shall include:

(a) a description of the products concerned;

(b) the relevant category, tariff position or sub-position and the NIMEXE code;

(c) the reasons which have led to the decision.

3. Where a decision on classification results in a change of classification practice or a change of category of any product subject to the Agreement, the competent authorities of the Community shall provide 30 days' notice, from the date of the Community's communication, before the decision is put into effect. Products shipped before the date of application of the decision shall remain subject to the earlier classification practice, provided that the goods in question are presented for importation into the Community within 60 days of that date.

TITLE II

ORIGIN

Article 2

1. Products originating in Egypt for export to the Community in accordance with the arrangements established by the Agreement shall be accompanied by a certificate of Egyptian origin conforming to the model annexed to this Protocol.

2. The certificate of origin shall be issued by the competent governmental authorities of Egypt if the products in question can be considered products originating in that country within the meaning of the relevant rules in force in the Community.

3. However, the products in Group III may be imported into the Community in accordance with the arrangements established by the Agreement on production of a declaration by the exporter on the invoice or other commercial document relating to the products to the effect that the products in question originate in Egypt within the meaning of the relevant rules in force in the Community.

4. The certificate of origin referred to in paragraph 1 shall not be required for import of goods covered by a certificate of origin Form A or Form APR completed in accordance with the relevant Community rules in order to qualify for generalized tariff preferences.

5. The certificate of origin referred to in paragraph 1 shall not be required for import of goods covered by a movement certificate EUR 1 or a form EUR 2 completed in accordance with the cooperation agreement between the Community and Egypt.

Article 3

The certificate of origin shall be issued only on application having been made in writing by the exporter or, under the exporter's responsibility, by this authorized representation. The competent governmental authorities of Egypt shall ensure that the certificate of origin is properly completed and for this purpose they shall call for any necessary documentary evidence or carry out any check which they consider appropriate.

Article 4

Where different criteria for determining origin are laid down for products falling within the same category, certificates or declarations of origin shall contain a sufficiently detailed description of the goods to enable the criterion to be determined on the basis of which the certificate was issued or the declaration drawn up.

Article 5

The discovery of slight discrepancies between the statements made in the certificate of origin and those made in the documents produced to the customs office for the purpose of carrying out the formalities for importing the product shall not ipso facto cast doubt upon the statements in the certificate.

TITLE III

DOUBLE-CHECKING SYSTEM FOR CATEGORIES OF PRODUCTS WITH QUANTITATIVE LIMITS

Section I

Exportation

Article 6

The competent authorities of Egypt shall issue an export licence in respect of all consignments from Egypt of textile products referred to in Annex II of the Agreement, up to the relevant quantitative limits as may be modified by Articles 7, 14 and 15 of the Agreement and of textile products subject to any definitive or provisional quantitative limits established as a result of the application of Articles 8 and 9 of the Agreement.

Article 7

1. The export licence shall conform to the model annexed to this Protocol. It must certify inter alia that the quantity of the product in question has been set off against the quantitative limit prescribed for the category of the product in question.

2. Each export licence shall only cover one of the categories of products listed in Annex II of the Agreement. It may be used for one or more consignments of the products in question.

Article 8

The competent Community authorities must be notified forthwith of the withdrawal or alteration of any export licence already issued.

Article 9

1. Exports shall be set off against the quantitative limits established for the year in which shipment of the goods has been effected, even if the export license is issued after such shipment.

2. For the purposes of applying paragraph 1, shipment of the goods is considered to have taken place on the date of their loading on to the exporting aircraft, vehicle or vessel.

Article 10

The presentation of an export licence, pursuant to Article 12, shall he effected not later than 31 March of the year following that in which the goods covered by the licence have been shipped.

Section II

Importation

Article 11

Importation into the Community of textile products subject to quantitative limits shall be subject to the presentation of an import authorization or document.

Article 12

1. The competent Community authorities shall issue such import authorization or document automatically within five workings days of the presentation by the importer of the original of the corresponding export licence.

The import authorization or document shall be valid for six months.

2. The competent Community authorities shall cancel the already issued import authorization or document if the corresponding export licence has been withdrawn.

However, if the competent Community authorities are notified of the withdrawal or cancellation of the export licence only after the products have been imported into the Community, the quantities involved shall be set off against the quantitative limit for the category and the quota year in question.

Article 13

1. If the competent Community authorities find that the total quantities covered by export certificates issued by Egypt for a particular category in any Agreement year exceed the quantitative limit established in Annex II of the Agreement for that category, as may be modified by Articles 7, 14 and 15 of the Agreement, or any definitive or provisional limit established under Article 8 or 9 of the Agreement, the said authorities may suspend the further issue of import authorizations or documents. In this event, the competent Community authorities shall immediately inform the authorities of Egypt and the special consultation procedure set out in Article 17 of the Agreement shall be initiated forthwith.

2. Exports of Egyptian origin not covered by export licences issued in accordance with the provisions of this Protocol may be refused the issue of import authorizations or documents by the competent Community authorities.

However, if the import of such products is allowed into the Community by the competent Community authorities, the quantities involved shall not be set off against the appropriate quantitative limits set out in Annex II of the Agreement or established as a result of the application of Article 8 or 9 of the Agreement, without the express agreement of Egypt, save as provided for in Article 12 of the Agreement.

TITLE IV

FORM AND PRODUCTION OF EXPORT LICENCES AND CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN, AND COMMON PROVISIONS

Article 14

1. The export licence and the certificate of origin may comprise additional copies duly indicated as such. They shall be made out in English or French. If they are completed by hand, entries must be in ink and in printscript.

These documents shall measure 210 x 297 min. The paper used must be white writing paper, sized, and weighing not less than 25 g/m2. Each part shall have a printed guilloche-pattern background making any falsification by mechanical or chemical means apparent to the eye.

If the documents have several copies, only the top copy which is the original shall he printed with the guilloche-pattern background. This copy shall be clearly marked as "original" and the other copies as "copy". Only the original shall be accepted by the competent authorities in the Community as being valid for the purposes of export to the Community in accordance with the arrangements established by the Agreement.

2. Each document shall bear a standardized serial number, whether or not printed, by which it can be identified.

This number shall be composed of the following elements.

- a number indicating the quota year,

- numbers running from 00001 to 99999 allocated to the country of destination,

- the numbering system shall also indicate the country of destination (in box 7 of the export licence), country of exportation and issuing office.

Article 15

The export licence and certificate of origin may be issued after the shipment of the products to which they relate. In such cases they shall bear either the endorsement "delivré a posteriori" or the endorsement "issued retrospectively".

Article 16

1. In the event of theft, loss or destruction of an export licence or a certificate of origin, the exporter may, apply to the competent governmental authority which issued the document for a duplicate to he made out on the basis of the export documents in his possession. The duplicate of any such certificate or licence so issued shall bear the endorsement "duplicata".

2. The duplicate must bear the date of the original export licence or certificate of origin.

TITLE V

ADMINISTRATIVE COOPERATION

Article 17

The Community and Egypt shall cooperate closely to implement the provisions of the Agreement. To this end, contacts and exchanges of views (including on technical matters) shall be facilitated by both parties.

Article 18

In order to ensure the proper application of this Agreement, the Community and Egypt shall assist each other in checking the authenticity and accuracy of export licences and certificates of origin issued or declaration made under this Protocol.

Article 19

Egypt shall send the Commission of the European Communities the names and addresses of the governmental authorities competent for the issue and verification of export licences and certificates of origin together with specimens of the stamps used by these authorities. Egypt shall also notify the Commission of any change in this information.

Article 20

1. Subsequent verification of certificates of origin or export licences shall be carried out at random, or whenever the competent Community authorities have reasonable doubt as to the authenticity of the certificate or licence or as to the accuracy of the information regarding the products in question.

2. In such cases, the competent authorities in the Community shall return the certificate of origin or export licence or a copy thereof to the competent governmental authority in Egypt giving, where appropriate, the reasons of form of substance for an inquiry. If the invoice has been submitted, such invoice or a copy thereof shall be attached to the certificate or licence or its copy. The authorities shall also forward any information that has been obtained suggesting that the particulars given on the said certificate or licence are inaccurate.

3. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall be applicable to subsequent verifications of the declarations of origin referred to in Article 2 of this Protocol.

4. The results of the subsequent verifications carried out in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be communicated to the competent authorities of the Community within three months at the latest. The information communicated shall indicate whether the disputed certificate or licence of declaration applied to the goods actually exported and whether these goods are eligible for export in accordance with the arrangements established by the Agreement. The information shall also include, at the request of the Community, copies of all documentation necessary to determine the facts fully and in particular the true origin of the goods.

Should such verifications reveal systematic irregularities in the use of declarations of origin, the Community may subject imports of the products in question to the provisions of Article 2 (1) of this Protocol.

5. For the purpose of subsequent verification of certificates of origin, copies of the certificates as well as any export documents referring to them shall be kept for at least three years by the competent governmental authority in Egypt.

6. Recourse to the random verification procedure specified in this Article must not constitute an obstacle to the release for home use of the products in question.

Article 21

1. Where the verification procedure referred to in Article 20 or where information available to the Community or to Egypt indicates or appears to indicate that the provisions of the Agreement are being contravened, both parties shall cooperate closely and with the appropriate urgency to prevent such contravention.

2. To this end, Egypt shall, on its own initiative or at the request of the Community, carry out appropriate inquiries or arrange for such inquiries to be carried out concerning operations which arc, or appear to the Community to be, in contravention of the Agreement. Egypt shall communicate the results of these inquiries to the Community together with any other pertinent information enabling the true origin of the goods to be determined.

3. In pursuance of the cooperation referred to in paragraph 1, Egypt and the Community shall exchange any information considered by either partner to be of use in preventing the contravention of the provisions of the Agreement.

4. Where it is established that the provisions of the Agreement have been contravened, Egypt and the Community may agree to take such measures as are necessary to prevent a recurrence of such contravention.

(IMAGEN OMITIDA)

PROTOCOL B

1. The exemption provided for in article 5 of the Agreement in respect of cottage industry products shall apply only to the following products:

(a) fabrics woven on hand- or foot-operated looms, being fabrics of a kind traditionally made in the cottage industry of Egypt;

(b) garments or other textile articles of a kind traditionally made in the cottage industry of Egypt obtained manually from the fabrics referred to above and sewn exclusively by hand without the aid of any machine;

(c) traditional folklore textile products of Egypt made by hand in the cottage industry of Egypt as defined in a list to be agreed between both Parties.

Exemption shall be granted only for products accompanied by a certificate issued by the competent Egyptian authorities in accordance with the specimen annexed to this Protocol. Such certificates shall state the grounds on which exemption is based and shall be accepted by the competent Community authorities provided that they are satisfied that the products concerned conform to the conditions set out in this Protocol. Certificates covering the products referred to in sub-paragrah (c) shall bear a conspicuous stamp "FOLKLORE".

Should there be a divergence of opinion between Egypt and the competent Community authorities at the point of entry into the Community as to the nature of such products, consultations shall be held within one month with a view to resolving such divergences. Should imports of any of the above products reach such proportions as to cause difficulties to the Community, the two Parties shall open consultations forthwith in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 17 of the Agreement with a view to finding a quantitative solution to the problem.

2. Titles IV and V of Protocol A shall apply mutatis mutandis to the products referred to in paragraph 1 of this Protocol to the extent applicable.

(IMAGEN OMITIDA)

PROTOCOL C

Under Article 8 (6) of the Agreement, a quantitative limit may be fixed on a regional basis where imports of a given product into any region of the Community in relation to the amounts determined in accordance with paragraph 2 of the said Article 8, exceed the following regional percentage:

Germany................. 28,5 %,

Benelux................. 10,5 %,

France.................. 18,5 %,

Italy................... 15,0 %,

Denmark................. 3 %,

Ireland................. 1 %,

United Kingdom.......... 23,5 %,

Greece.................. 2 %.

PROTOCOL D

The annual growth rate for the quantitative limits introduced under Article 8 of the Agreement shall be determined as follows:

for products in categories falling within Group I, II and III, the growth rate shall be fixed by agreement between the Parties in accordance with the consultation procedure established in Article 17 of the Agreement. Such growth rate may in no case be lower than the highest rate applied to corresponding products under bilateral agreements concluded under the Geneva Arrangement between the Community and other third countries having a level of trade equal to or comparable with that of Egypt.

(1) La fecha de entrada en vigor del Acuerdo será publicada en el Diario Oficial de las Comunidades Europeas a cargo del Secretario General del Consejo.

(2) Por razones de orden material el presente Acuerdo se publica en el Diario Oficial de las Comunidades Europeas en la lengua en que ha sido negociado. La versión en las demás lenguas será publicada ulteriormente.