COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 706/98 of 30 March 1998 amending Regulation (EC) No 2604/97 concerning prior Community surveillance of imports of certain iron and steel products covered by the ECSC and EC Treaties originating in certain third 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 the 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,
Consultations having taken place within the committees set up under the Regulations referred to above,
Whereas by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2604/97 (5), imports into the Community of certain iron and steel products covered by the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community and the Treaty establishing the European Community are subject to a priori Community surveillance for the period 1 January to 31 December 1998;
Whereas by Decision No 1/95 of the EC-Turkey Association Council (6), the Association Council laid down the rules for implementing the final phase of the Customs Union in respect of products subject to the EC Treaty;
Whereas in view of that Decision it is appropriate to remove from the scope of Regulation (EC) No 2604/97 all steel products subject to the EC Treaty, which originate in Turkey;
Whereas consultations have taken place within the EC-Turkey Customs Union Joint Committee; whereas Turkey has agreed to establish corresponding arrangements in respect of imports into Turkey from third countries of those products listed in Annex I to the Regulation which are subject to the EC Treaty;
Whereas Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2604/97 should be amended in order to distinguish those products which are subject to the EC Treaty,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Article 1(1) Regulation (EC) No 2604/97 is hereby amended as follows:
'1. From 1 January 1998, the release for free circulation in the Community of iron and steel products covered by the ECSC and EC Treaties listed in Annex I shall 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. This applies to imports originating in all non-member countries other than in respect of (a) products originating in countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) or in countries which are parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA), and (b) EC Treaty products originating in Turkey, which are subject to the provisions of the EC-Turkey Customs Union. Products which are subject to a double-checking surveillance agreement established between a non-member country and the Community shall be subject to the conditions established by that agreement and not to the present Regulation.`
Article 2
Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2604/97 is amended by the Annex hereto which identifies those products that are covered by the EC Treaty.
Article 3
Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 2604/97 is amended in respect of the details for the Portuguese licensing office as follows:
- delete: 'Direcção-Geral do Comércio`,
- insert: 'Ministério da Economia
Direcção-Geral das Relações Económicas Internacionais`.
Article 4
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 30 March 1998.