April 7: Amidst growing concerns over a feared shortage of rice in the Philippines, President Macapagal-Arroyo lifts quotas on the importation of rice by private traders.

Many of these changes, ranging from freeing the movement of capital to lifting quotas on foreign audiovisual material, have been seen here as a trial run for what Poland hopes will be its eventual membership in the European Union.

Congress lifted stringent quotas on immigration from Asia and Latin American in 1965 and gave preference to immigrants closely related to citizens.

Mr. Mashkovtsev himself faces a criminal investigation for unilaterally lifting quotas on salmon in 2002, though he insisted he did it to protect, not endanger, that year's salmon run from the risk of overpopulation.

As of Dec. 31, Mr. Kantor said, China had stopped complying with the 1992 accord by suspending its program to lift quotas, licenses and other barriers.

But to enter the trade group, China has agreed to lift quotas that it now uses to restrict the import of edible oils.

Because of uncertainty over currency fluctuations and the process of lifting quotas, apparel producers like GAV have not reduced their prices to retailers.

The 1965 law lifted stringent quotas on immigration from Latin America and Asia and gave preference to immigrants closely related to citizens.

By 2005, however, the United States is scheduled to lift quotas on textiles from China.

In Mr. Reitman's view, domestic favorites like Peugeot, with one-third of the French market, and Fiat, with three-fifths of the Italian market, could come under a lot of pressure when their nations lift quotas on Japanese cars.