Imports of textile products from certain third countries not covered by bilateral agreements, protocols or other arrangements, or by other specific Union import rules: imports from Belarus

PURPOSE: to abolish the autonomous quotas on imports of textiles and clothing originating in Belarus.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Regulation (EU) 2017/354 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2015/936 on common rules for imports of textile products from certain third countries not covered by bilateral agreements, protocols or other arrangements, or by other specific Union import rules.

CONTENT: the Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2015/936 repeals quota restrictions on imports of textiles and clothing from Belarus.

The Regulation follows the release of political prisoners in Belarus on 22 August 2015, together with several positive initiatives undertaken by Belarus over the last 2 years, such as resumption of the EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue, contributed to the improvement of relations between the Union and Belarus.

The Regulations recalls that EU-Belarus relations should be based on common values, in particular with regard to human rights, democracy and the rule of law. However, the human rights situation in Belarus remains of concern to the Union, in particular with regard to issues such as the death penalty, which should be abolished.

Accordingly, the adoption of the Regulation is without prejudice to the Union’s ability to have recourse to new quotas in the future should the human rights situation in Belarus seriously deteriorate.

In order to facilitate administrative procedures, the Regulation extends the period of validity of import authorisations to nine months, instead of six.

Article 31 of the Regulation on the adoption of delegated acts is amended: the power to adopt delegated acts is conferred on the Commission for a period of five years (which may be tacitly extended for periods of identical duration), from 20 February 2014. The European Parliament or the Council shall have the right to object to a delegated act within a period of two months (extendable for four months) from the notification of the act.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 23.3.2017.