COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1218/97 of 27 June 1997 renewing prior Community surveillance of imports of certain steel cables originating in non-member countries
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3285/94 of 22 December 1994 on common rules for imports and repealing Regulation (EC) No 518/94 (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 2315/96 (2), and in particular Article 11 thereof,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 519/94 of 7 March 1994 on common rules for imports from certain third countries and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 1765/82, (EEC) No 1766/82 and (EEC) No 3420/83 (3), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 847/97 (4), and in particular Article 9 (1) thereof,
Having regard to Commission Regulation (EC) No 754/96 of 25 April 1996 introducing prior Community surveillance of imports of certain steel cables originating in non-member countries (5),
Consultations having taken place within the Committees set up under the said Regulations,
Whereas Regulation (EC) No 754/96 introduced prior Community surveillance on imports into the Community of stranded wire, ropes, cables, plaited bands, slings and the like, of iron or steel, not electrically insulated, falling within CN codes 7312 10 82, 7312 10 84, 7312 10 86, 7312 10 88 and 7312 10 99 originating in non-member countries; whereas this measure was introduced inasmuch as statistical figures indicated that imports of steel cables from third countries had been increasing sharply since 1991 at conditions which were likely to threaten Community producers of these products;
Whereas the most recent available data indicate that imports of the products concerned are still a matter of serious concern, particularly in a moment of very weak demand; whereas imports into the Community of steel cables originating in non-member countries amounted to 42 434 tonnes in 1996, as compared to 29 032 tonnes in 1993; whereas, according to estimates based on trends during the first months of 1997, imports for 1997 as a whole should remain at the same level as 1996; whereas, furthermore, these import trends were combined with very low import prices compared to the Community price levels;
Whereas the trend in imports of steel cables originating in non-member countries consequently threatens to cause injury to Community producers and, in the Community interest, imports of such products should therefore continue to be subject to prior Community surveillance in order to obtain reliable and accurate statistical data without delay and enable import trends to be swiftly investigated;
Whereas, for the purpose of improving the prior surveillance system and reducing the administrative burden, it is deemed appropriate that Member States should communicate their relevant information to the Commission electronically within the electronic integrated network set up for this purpose,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Imports into the Community of stranded wire, ropes, cables, plaited bands, slings and the like of iron or steel, not electrically insulated, falling within CN codes 7312 10 82, 7312 10 84, 7312 10 86, 7312 10 88 and 7312 10 99 and originating in non-member countries shall continue to be subject to prior Community surveillance in accordance with Articles 11 and 12 of Regulation (EC) No 3285/94 and Articles 9 and 10 of Regulation (EC) No 519/94.
Article 2
The updated list of competent authorities referred to in Article 12 (1) of Regulation (EC) No 3285/94 and Article 10 (1) of Regulation (EC) No 519/94 to which requests for surveillance documents shall be addressed is annexed to this Regulation.
Article 3
1. Within the first 10 days of each month, Member States shall communicate to the Commission:
(a) details of the quantities and values (calculated in ecus) for which surveillance documents were issued during the preceding month;
(b) details of imports during the month preceding the month referred to in subparagraph (a).
The information provided by Member States shall be broken down by CN code and country of origin.
2. Any notices to be given hereunder shall be given to the Commission of the European Communities electronically within the integrated network set up for this purpose, unless for imperative technical reasons it is necessary temporarily to use other means of communication.
3. The Member States shall give notification of any anomalies or cases of fraud which they discover and, where relevant, the basis on which they have refused to grant a surveillance document.
Article 4
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
It shall apply from 1 July to 31 December 1997.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 27 June 1997.