07/02/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 7 February, the Council of Ministers of the EU adopted a regulation abolishing EU quotas for textile and clothing imports from Belarus. This text amends the 2015/936 regulation. On 19 January, the European Parliament approved, as a preliminary, the proposal put on the table by the Commission following the release of political prisoners in August 2015 and the initiatives taken by Belarus to improve cooperation with the EU. This proposal was amended by the Council and Parliament as part of the trialogue negotiations. Parliament insisted that the EU should be allowed to reintroduce quotas in the event of any worsening in the country’s human rights situation (see EUROPE 11707). (EH)