# C_2004106EN.01003401.xml

| 30.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 106/34 |
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Reference for a preliminary ruling by the Oberlandesgericht Oldenburg, by order of that court of 4 February 2004 in the case of Industrias Nucleares do Brasil S.A. and Siemens AG against Texas Utilities Electric Corporation

(Case C-124/04)

(2004/C 106/58)

Reference has been made to the Court of Justice of the European Communities by order of the Oberlandesgericht Oldenburg of 4 February 2004, received at the Court Registry on 8 March 2004, for a preliminary ruling in the case of Industrias Nucleares do Brasil S.A. and Siemens AG against Texas Utilities Electric Corporation on the following questions:

| 1. | Do the terms ‘processing, conversion or shaping’ in the first paragraph of Article 75 of the EAEC Treaty also encompass the enrichment of uranium? |
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| 2. | Does an undertaking having its seat outside the territory of the EAEC Treaty pursue all or any of its activities in the territory of the Euratom Community within the meaning of Article 196 (b) of the EAEC Treaty if it maintains with an undertaking having its seat in the territory of the Euratom Community a commercial relationship for
(a)
the supply of raw material for the production of enriched uranium by, and the procurement of enriched uranium from, the undertaking having its seat in the territory of the Euratom Community (b)
the storage thereof with another undertaking having its seat in the territory of the Euratom Community? | (a) | the supply of raw material for the production of enriched uranium by, and the procurement of enriched uranium from, the undertaking having its seat in the territory of the Euratom Community | (b) | the storage thereof with another undertaking having its seat in the territory of the Euratom Community? |
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| (a) | the supply of raw material for the production of enriched uranium by, and the procurement of enriched uranium from, the undertaking having its seat in the territory of the Euratom Community | | | | |
| (b) | the storage thereof with another undertaking having its seat in the territory of the Euratom Community? | | | | |

| 3. | (a)
Does Article 75(c) of the EAEC Treaty require the material supplied for processing, conversion or shaping and the material subsequently returned to be identical in substance, apart from the physical changes associated with those processes? (b)
Or is it sufficient for the processed material to be commensurate in terms of quantity and quality with the material supplied? (c)
Is the application of Article 75(c) of the EAEC Treaty precluded where the material returned cannot be attributed to any material supplied by the consignee? (d)
Is the application of Article 75(c) of the EAEC Treaty precluded where the undertaking carrying out the process acquires title to the raw material on delivery and therefore has to transfer title to the enriched uranium back to the other contracting party on completion of the process? | (a) | Does Article 75(c) of the EAEC Treaty require the material supplied for processing, conversion or shaping and the material subsequently returned to be identical in substance, apart from the physical changes associated with those processes? | (b) | Or is it sufficient for the processed material to be commensurate in terms of quantity and quality with the material supplied? | (c) | Is the application of Article 75(c) of the EAEC Treaty precluded where the material returned cannot be attributed to any material supplied by the consignee? | (d) | Is the application of Article 75(c) of the EAEC Treaty precluded where the undertaking carrying out the process acquires title to the raw material on delivery and therefore has to transfer title to the enriched uranium back to the other contracting party on completion of the process? |
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| (a) | Does Article 75(c) of the EAEC Treaty require the material supplied for processing, conversion or shaping and the material subsequently returned to be identical in substance, apart from the physical changes associated with those processes? | | | | | | | | |
| (b) | Or is it sufficient for the processed material to be commensurate in terms of quantity and quality with the material supplied? | | | | | | | | |
| (c) | Is the application of Article 75(c) of the EAEC Treaty precluded where the material returned cannot be attributed to any material supplied by the consignee? | | | | | | | | |
| (d) | Is the application of Article 75(c) of the EAEC Treaty precluded where the undertaking carrying out the process acquires title to the raw material on delivery and therefore has to transfer title to the enriched uranium back to the other contracting party on completion of the process? | | | | | | | | |

| 4. | (a)
Is the application of Article 75 of the EAEC Treaty precluded if the persons or undertakings concerned do not fulfil their duty to notify the Euratom Supply Agency under the second paragraph of Article 75 of the EAEC Treaty? (b)
Can breach of the duty to notify the Euratom Supply Agency under the second paragraph of Article 75 of the EAEC Treaty be remedied by the persons or undertakings concerned subsequently fulfilling their duty to notify or by the Agency subsequently becoming cognisant in some other way? | (a) | Is the application of Article 75 of the EAEC Treaty precluded if the persons or undertakings concerned do not fulfil their duty to notify the Euratom Supply Agency under the second paragraph of Article 75 of the EAEC Treaty? | (b) | Can breach of the duty to notify the Euratom Supply Agency under the second paragraph of Article 75 of the EAEC Treaty be remedied by the persons or undertakings concerned subsequently fulfilling their duty to notify or by the Agency subsequently becoming cognisant in some other way? |
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| (a) | Is the application of Article 75 of the EAEC Treaty precluded if the persons or undertakings concerned do not fulfil their duty to notify the Euratom Supply Agency under the second paragraph of Article 75 of the EAEC Treaty? | | | | |
| (b) | Can breach of the duty to notify the Euratom Supply Agency under the second paragraph of Article 75 of the EAEC Treaty be remedied by the persons or undertakings concerned subsequently fulfilling their duty to notify or by the Agency subsequently becoming cognisant in some other way? | | | | |

| 5. | (a)
Is an agreement or contract within the meaning of Article 73 of the EAEC Treaty invalid if the contracting parties do not obtain the prior consent of the European Commission required thereunder? (b)
If so, can the invalidity of the transaction be remedied by the persons or undertakings concerned subsequently obtaining such consent or by the institutions of the Euratom Community failing to take action after becoming cognisant in some other way? | (a) | Is an agreement or contract within the meaning of Article 73 of the EAEC Treaty invalid if the contracting parties do not obtain the prior consent of the European Commission required thereunder? | (b) | If so, can the invalidity of the transaction be remedied by the persons or undertakings concerned subsequently obtaining such consent or by the institutions of the Euratom Community failing to take action after becoming cognisant in some other way? |
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| (a) | Is an agreement or contract within the meaning of Article 73 of the EAEC Treaty invalid if the contracting parties do not obtain the prior consent of the European Commission required thereunder? | | | | |
| (b) | If so, can the invalidity of the transaction be remedied by the persons or undertakings concerned subsequently obtaining such consent or by the institutions of the Euratom Community failing to take action after becoming cognisant in some other way? | | | | |

| 6. | (a)
Is the disposal of materials within the meaning of Article 57 (1) of the EAEC Treaty prohibited if the producer does not fulfil his obligation to make an offer to the Euratom Supply Agency under the second sentence of Article 57 (2) of the EAEC Treaty? (b)
Can breach of the duty to offer materials to the Euratom Supply Agency under the second sentence of Article 57 (2) of the EAEC Treaty be remedied by the producer subsequently fulfilling his duty to make an offer or by the Agency subsequently becoming cognisant in some other way and not exercising its right of option? | (a) | Is the disposal of materials within the meaning of Article 57 (1) of the EAEC Treaty prohibited if the producer does not fulfil his obligation to make an offer to the Euratom Supply Agency under the second sentence of Article 57 (2) of the EAEC Treaty? | (b) | Can breach of the duty to offer materials to the Euratom Supply Agency under the second sentence of Article 57 (2) of the EAEC Treaty be remedied by the producer subsequently fulfilling his duty to make an offer or by the Agency subsequently becoming cognisant in some other way and not exercising its right of option? |
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| (a) | Is the disposal of materials within the meaning of Article 57 (1) of the EAEC Treaty prohibited if the producer does not fulfil his obligation to make an offer to the Euratom Supply Agency under the second sentence of Article 57 (2) of the EAEC Treaty? | | | | |
| (b) | Can breach of the duty to offer materials to the Euratom Supply Agency under the second sentence of Article 57 (2) of the EAEC Treaty be remedied by the producer subsequently fulfilling his duty to make an offer or by the Agency subsequently becoming cognisant in some other way and not exercising its right of option? | | | | |

| 7. | Does the concept of production in Article 86 of the EAEC Treaty also encompass the enrichment of uranium? |
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| 8. | Are uranium and light-enriched uranium ‘source materials’ within the meaning of the last phrase of Article 197 (1) of the EAEC Treaty? |
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| 9. | (a)
Can civil-law title under Paragraph 903 of the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (German Civil Code, hereinafter the ‘BGB’) be acquired and transferred in respect of materials that have become the property of the Euratom Community under the first sentence of Article 86 of the EAEC Treaty? (b)
Does the unlimited right of use and consumption afforded to holders of rights under Article 87 of the EAEC Treaty exist as a property or quasi-property interest sui generis alongside rights in rem under the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch of the Federal Republic of Germany? | (a) | Can civil-law title under Paragraph 903 of the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (German Civil Code, hereinafter the ‘BGB’) be acquired and transferred in respect of materials that have become the property of the Euratom Community under the first sentence of Article 86 of the EAEC Treaty? | (b) | Does the unlimited right of use and consumption afforded to holders of rights under Article 87 of the EAEC Treaty exist as a property or quasi-property interest sui generis alongside rights in rem under the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch of the Federal Republic of Germany? |
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| (a) | Can civil-law title under Paragraph 903 of the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch (German Civil Code, hereinafter the ‘BGB’) be acquired and transferred in respect of materials that have become the property of the Euratom Community under the first sentence of Article 86 of the EAEC Treaty? | | | | |
| (b) | Does the unlimited right of use and consumption afforded to holders of rights under Article 87 of the EAEC Treaty exist as a property or quasi-property interest sui generis alongside rights in rem under the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch of the Federal Republic of Germany? | | | | |

| 10. | Does an undertaking pursue any of its activities in the territories of the Member States of the Euratom Community within the meaning of Article 196 (b) of the EAEC Treaty if it acquires or disposes of enriched uranium stored there? |
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| 11. | Does Article 73 of the EAEC Treaty also apply mutatis mutandis to agreements concerning enriched uranium stored within the territory of the Euratom Community where all of the parties are nationals of third States? |
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