THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA
THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA ON TRADE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS The Republic of Estonia (hereinafter referred to as "Estonia"), the Republic of Latvia (hereinafter referred to as "Latvia")
the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as "Lithuania"), jointly referred to as "the Parties",Having regard to the Preamble
of the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Estonia
the Republic of Latvia
the Republic of Lithuania signed on September 13, 1993,Recalling their intention to participate actively in the process of integration in Europe
expressing their preparedness to co-operate in seeking ways
means to strengthen this process,Firmly convinced that this Agreement will foster the intensification of mutually beneficial trade relations between them
contribute to the process of integration in Europe,Desiring to create favourable conditions for the development
diversification of trade between them
for the promotion of commercial
economic co-operation in areas of common interest on the basis of equality, mutual benefit
international law,Resolved to contribute to the strengthening of the multilateral trading system
to develop their relations in the field of trade in accordance with the principles of the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO), Estonia, Latvia
Lithuania having the objective to become a Member of WTO,Determined to implement this Free Trade Agreement with the objective to preserve
protect the environment
to ensure an optimal use of natural resources in accordance with the principle of sustainable growth,Declaring their readiness to examine, in the light of any relevant factor, the possibility of developing
deepening their economic relations in order to extend them to fields not covered by this Agreement,Have decided, in pursuit of the above, to conclude the following Agreement (hereinafter referred to as "this Agreement"):Article 1ObjectivesThe objectives of this Agreement are:(a) to create a free trade area for agricultural, food
fish products between Estonia, Latvia
Lithuania;(b) to promote, through liberalization of trade in agricultural products, the harmonious development of the economic relations between Estonia, Latvia
Lithuania;(c) to provide fair conditions of competition for trade between the Parties.Article 2ScopeThis Agreement shall apply to products falling within Chapters 01 to 24 of the Harmonized Commodity Description
Coding System originating in Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania.Article 3Customs duties on imports
charges having equivalent effect1. The Parties shall abolish in trade between them on the date of entry into force of this Agreement all customs duties on imports
all charges having equivalent effect on products originating in the Parties in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 (Rules of origin).2. No new customs duty on imports or charge having equivalent effect shall be introduced in trade between the Parties.Article 4Fiscal dutiesThe provisions of Article 3 (Customs duties on imports
charges having equivalent effect) shall also apply to customs duties of a fiscal nature.Article 5Customs duties on exports
charges having equivalent effect1. The Parties shall abolish in trade between them on the date of entry into force of this Agreement all customs duties on exports
charges having equivalent effect to customs duties on exports.2. No new customs duty on exports or charge having equivalent effect shall be introduced in trade between the Parties.Article 6Quantitative restrictions on imports or exports
measures having equivalent effect1. Quantitative restrictions on imports or exports
measures having equivalent effect in trade between the Parties shall be abolished upon the entry into force of this Agreement.2. No new quantitative restrictions on imports or exports
measures having equivalent effect shall be introduced in trade between the Parties.Article 7Rules of originThe rules of origin for the purposes of implementation of this Agreement are set out in Protocol A to the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Estonia
the Republic of Latvia
the Republic of Lithuania signed on September 13, 1993.Article 8General exceptionsThis Agreement shall not preclude prohibitions or restrictions on imports, exports or goods in transit, justified on grounds of public morality, public policy or public security; the protection of health
life of humans, animals or plants
the environment; the protection of national treasures possessing artistic, historic or archaeological value, protection of intellectual property. Such prohibitions or restrictions shall not, however, constitute a means of arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on trade between the Parties.Article 9Internal taxation1. The Parties shall refrain from any measure or practice of an internal fiscal nature establishing, whether directly or indirectly, discrimination between the products originating in one Party
like products originating in the other Parties.
Lithuania
the transfer of such payments to the territories of the Parties where the creditor resides, shall be free from any restrictions. Payments between the Parties shall be effected in freely convertible currencies, unless otherwise agreed by individual companies in individual cases.2. The Parties shall refrain from any currency exchange or administrative restrictions on the grant, repayment or acceptance of short
medium-term credits covering commercial transactions in which a resident participates.Article 11Export subsidies1. Export subsidies granted by a Party which distort or threaten to distort competition by favouring certain undertakings or the production of certain goods shall, in so far as it may affect trade between Estonia, Latvia
Lithuania, be incompatible with the proper functioning of this Agreement.2. If a Party considers that a given practice is incompatible with the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article, it may take appropriate measures under the conditions
in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 16 (Procedure for the application of safeguard measures).Article 12DumpingIf a Party finds that dumping within the meaning of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs
Trade 1994 is taking place in trade with other Party, the Party concerned may take appropriate measures against this practice in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 16 (Procedure for the application of safeguard measures).Article 13Emergency action on imports of particular productsWhere any product originating in Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania is being imported in such increased quantities
under such conditions as to cause, or threaten to cause:(
in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 16 (Procedure of application of safeguard measures).Article 14Balance of payments difficulties1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3 (Customs duties on imports
charges having equivalent effect), Article 4 (Fiscal duties)
(Quantitative restrictions on imports or exports
measures having equivalent effect), a Party may, consistently with its other international obligations, introduce restrictive measures on trade if it is in serious balance of payments difficulties or under imminent threat thereof. Such measures shall be of limited duration
non-discriminatory,
may not go beyond what is necessary to remedy the balance of payments situation. Preference shall be given to price-based measures which shall be progressively relaxed as balance of payments conditions improve
eliminated when conditions no longer justify their maintenance.
serious shortageWhere compliance with the provisions of Article 5 (Customs duties on exports
charges having equivalent effect)
(Quantitative restrictions on imports or exports
measures having equivalent effect) leads to:(
where the situations referred to above give rise or are likely to give rise to major difficulties for the exporting Party, that Party may take appropriate measures under the conditions
in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 16 (Procedure for the application of safeguard measures). The measures referred to in subparagraph (b) shall be non-discriminatory. The measures shall be eliminated when conditions no longer justify their maintenance.Article 16Procedure for application of safeguard measures1. The Party which considers resorting to safeguard measures shall promptly notify the other Parties thereof
supply all relevant information. Consultations shall take place without delay in the Joint Committee with a view of finding a mutually acceptable solution.2. (a) As regards Article 11 (Export subsidies), the Parties shall give to the Joint Committee assistance required in order to examine the case
, where appropriate, eliminate this practice objected to. If the Party in question fails to put an end to the practice objected to within the period fixed by the Joint Committee or if the Joint Committee fails to reach an agreement after consultations, or after thirty days following referral to such consultations, the Party concerned may adopt the appropriate measures to deal with the difficulties resulting from the practice in question.(b) As regards Article 12 (Dumping), Article 13 (Emergency action on imports of particular products)
(Re-export
serious shortage), the Joint Committee shall examine the case or the situation
may take any decision needed to put an end to the difficulties notified by the Party concerned. In the absence of such a decision within thirty days of the matter being referred to the Joint Committee, the Party concerned may adopt the measures necessary in order to remedy the situation.(c) As regards Article 21 (Fulfilment of obligations), the Party concerned shall supply the Joint Committee with all relevant information required for a thorough examination of the situation with a view to seeking a commonly acceptable solution. If the Joint Committee fails to reach such a solution or if a period of three months has elapsed from the date of notification, the Party concerned may take appropriate measure.3. The safeguard measures taken shall be notified immediately to the other Party. They shall be restricted with regard to their extent
to their duration to what is strictly necessary in order to rectify the situation giving rise to their application
shall not be in excess of their injury caused by the practice or the difficulty in question. Priority shall be given to such measures as will least disturb the functioning of this Agreement.
(Re-export
serious shortage),
also in cases of export subsidies having a direct
immediate incidence on trade between the Parties, apply forthwith the precautionary
provisional measures strictly necessary to deal with the situation. The measures shall be notified to the Joint Committee without delay
consultations between the Parties shall take place as soon as possible.Article 17The Joint CommitteeThe Joint Committee established by Article 24 (The Joint Committee) of the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Estonia
the Republic of Latvia
the Republic of Lithuania signed on September 13, 1993 shall be responsible for the administration of this Agreement.Article 18Scientific
technical co-operationThe Parties will promote scientific
technical co-operation in agriculture
related fields on the basis of mutual interests. This co-operation may include the establishment of joint ventures, exchange of information
documentation, exchange of experts as well organization of seminars
workshops.Article 19Sanitary
phytosanitary measuresThe Parties shall apply their regulations in sanitary
phytosanitary matters in a non-discriminatory fashion
shall not introduce any new measures that have effect of unduly obstructing trade.Article 20Evolutionary clauseThe Parties undertake to examine, in light of any relevant factor, the possibility of further developing
deepening the co-operation under this Agreement
to extend it to areas not covered therein. The Parties may instruct the Joint Committee to examine this possibility
, where appropriate, to make recommendations to them, particularly with a view to opening up negotiations.Article 21Fulfilment of obligations1. The Parties shall take all necessary measures to ensure the achievement of the objectives of this Agreement
the fulfilment of their obligations under this Agreement.2. If any Party considers that other Party has failed to fulfil an obligation under this Agreement, the Party concerned may take the appropriate measures under the conditions
in accordance with the procedures laid down in Article 16 (Procedure for the application of safeguard measures).Article 22Customs unions, free trade areas
frontier tradeThis Agreement shall not prevent the maintenance or establishment of customs unions, free trade areas or arrangements for frontier trade to the extent that these do not negatively affect the trade regime
, in particular, the provisions concerning rules of origin provided for by this Agreement.Article 23DepositoryThe Government of Lithuania shall act as the Depository for this Agreement. The Depository shall notify all Parties of the deposit of any instrument of ratification, the entry into force of this Agreement, any other act or notification relating to this Agreement of its validity.Article 24Entry into forceThe Parties will notify the Depository by means of a written notification when constitutional requirements necessary to give effect to this Agreement in their respective states have been complied with.This Agreement shall, when notifications have been received from the last Party, enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date of that deposit
shall remain in force for the period specified in corresponding provisions of the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Estonia
the Republic of Latvia
the Republic of Lithuania signed on September 13, 1993.Article 25DenunciationEither Party may denounce this Agreement by means of a written notification to the Depository. For this Party the Agreement shall cease to be in force six months after the date on which the Depository has received such notification. The Agreement remains in force for the other Parties
shall cease to be in force six months after the date when either of these Parties has denounced it by means of a written notification.IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned plenipotentiaries, being duly authorized thereto by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement.Done in Vilnius this 16th day of June 1996 in a single copy in the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian
English languages which shall be deposited with the Government of Lithuania. In case of dispute the English text shall prevail.For the Republic of EstoniaFor the Republic of LatviaFor the Republic of LithuaniaRECORD OF UNDERSTANDINGrelating to the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia
the Republic of Lithuania on Trade in Agricultural ProductsThe Parties have agreed that this Agreement
amendments of Article 4
of Protocol A to the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Estonia
the Republic of Latvia
the Republic of Lithuania shall enter into force at the same date.
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