COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 1013/81 of 17 February 1981 on the conclusion of the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters relating to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Austria on the simplification of formalities in respect of goods traded between the European Economic Community, on the one hand, and Greece and Turkey, on the other hand, when the said goods are forwarded from Austria and concerning the implementation in the Community of Decisions No 1/80, No 2/80 and No 3/80 of the EEC-Austria Joint Committee - Community transit - amending the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Austria on the application of the rules on Community transit and the Appendices thereto

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas it is necessary to approve the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters relating to the amendment of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Austria on the simplification of formalities in respect of goods traded between the European Economic Community, on the one hand, and Greece and Turkey, on the other hand, when the said goods are forwarded from Austria (1); whereas the proposed amendment is the subject of recommendation No 1/80 of the EEC-Austria Joint Committee - Community transit ; whereas that recommendation provides that the amendments rendered necessary by the accession of Greece should be made to the Agreement;

(1) OJ No L 188, 19.7.1975, p. 1.

Whereas, moreover, Article 16 of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Austria on the application of the rules on Community transit (2), signed on 30 November 1972, empowers the Joint Committee set up under that Agreement to adopt by decision certain amendments to the said Agreement and the Appendices thereto;

(2) OJ No L 294, 29.12.1972, p. 87.

Whereas the Joint Committee has decided to amend the Agreement of 30 November 1972 and the Appendices thereto in order, in particular, to take account of technical adjustments to the rules on Community transit following the accession of Greece, and in order that the Greek text of the Agreement may be equally authentic;

Whereas, moreover, the Joint Committee has decided, in particular, to make provision for the possibility of producing and completing Community transit documents by modern reproduction techniques and, at the same time, to extend to carriage by means of large containers the simplified procedures at present available when goods are transported by rail;

Whereas the Joint Committee has, moreover, laid down special provisions which make it possible, as long as customs duties and other charges have not been eliminated in intra-Community trade, to distinguish goods according to whether they have acquired Community status in the Community of Nine or in Greece;

Whereas the said amendments are, respectively, the subject of Decisions No 1/80 and No 2/80 of 18 September 1980 and Decision No 3/80 of 24 November 1980 of the Joint Committee ; whereas it is necessary to adopt implementing measures in respect of the said Decisions,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters relating to the amendment of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Austria on the simplification of formalities in respect of goods traded between the European Economic Community on the one hand and Greece and Turkey on the other hand when the said goods are forwarded from Austria is hereby approved on behalf of the Community.

The text of the Agreement is attached in Annex I.

Article 2

The President of the Council is hereby authorized to designate the person empowered to sign the Agreement in order to bind the Community.

Article 3

Decisions No 1/80, No 2/80 and No 3/80 of the EEC-Austria Joint Committee - Community transit - amending the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Austria on the application of the rules on Community transit and the Appendices thereto shall apply in the Community.

The text of the Decisions is attached in Annexes II, III and IV.

Article 4

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following 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, 17 February 1981.

For the Council

The President

D.F. van der MEI