No L 150/20 Official Journal of the European Communities 7. 6.97 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1025/97 of 6 June 1997 concerning imports of certain textile products originating in the Russian Federation THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 517/94 of 7 March 1994 on common rules for imports of textile products from certain third countries not covered by bi- lateral agreements, protocols or other arrangements, or by other specific Community import rules(!), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1937/96 (3 and in particular Article 12 (2) and Article 17 (6), in conjunction with Article 25 (5) thereof, Whereas the agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Community and the Russian Federation on trade in textile products initialled on 19 December 1995 expired on 31 December 1996 and whereas, pending the resumption and completion of negotiations directed towards the initialling of a new agreement with the Russian Federation, Commission Regulation (EC) No 2446/96 () as amended by Regulation (EC) No 562/97 (*) was adopted in order to safeguard the economic interests of the Community in the further conduct of trade in textile products with that country; Whereas the measures brought in by that Regulation are to apply until 30 June 1997, by which date it appears unlikely that a new textiles agreement can be negotiated and brought into application; Whereas it is necessary, given the sensitivity of the textiles and clothing sector to introduce an import regime for the second six months of 1997 setting quantitative limits for imports of certain textile products originating in the Russian Federation; Whereas experience of administering the quantitative limits established by Regulation (EC) No 2446/96 has shown that for certain categories of products requests for import authorizations considerably exceeded the quantit- ative limits; whereas it is appropriate to introduce more precise criteria for management in order to ensure that requests for authorization of imports correspond to a real intention to import; whereas for this purpose the issue of an import authorization should be subject to the presenta- tion of a contract; () OJ No L 67, 10. 3. 1994, p. 1. () O] No L 255, 9. 10. 1996, p. 4. () O] No L 333, 21. 12. 1996, p. 7. () OJ No L 85, 27. 3. 1997, p. 38. Whereas in order to allow as many traders as possible access to the quantitative limits it also appears appropriate to limit the quantities allocated by each licence to a maximum amount; whereas with a view to an optimal utilization of the quantitative limits it is also appropriate to provide that each operator is only able to present a new request for authorization of imports after having used 50 % of the quantity covered by a previously issued licence; Considering that with a view to ensuring an optimal util- ization of the quantitative limits it is appropriate to fix the duration of validity of the import licences to three months from the date of their issue; Whereas in order to ensure the continuity of trade it is appropriate to introduce new quantitative limits covering the rest of the year 1997 and that these limits should be set by reference to the period covered together with an increase which does not prejudge the results of the nego- tiation of a new textiles agreement; Whereas for categories 2, 2a, 39, 117 and 118, the quant- itative limits for which were exhausted shortly after their introduction by Regulation (EC) No 2446/96, it is neces- sary in order to ensure the continuity of trade to render the new quantitative limits, under the new rules of man- agement, accessible from the date of entry into force of this Regulation; Whereas for the other categories of products, for which the quantitative limits have not been completely exhausted it is appropriate that the new rules of manage- ment and the new quantitative limits be applicable fol- lowing the date of expiry of Regulation (EC) No 2446/96, that is from 1 July 1997; Whereas it is necessary to make it clear that the provi- sions of this Regulation do not prevent imports of textile products covered by a valid import licence issued pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 2446/96; Whereas in the interim the negotiations to reach a new bilateral agreement between the Community and the Russian Federation before the expiry of this present Regulation will continue; Whereas the reduced number of quantitative restrictions in comparison with those existing in the agreement as well as the increased levels provided for in this Regulation are introduced on the basis that the Russian Federation will not adopt, during the validity of this Regulation,