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( 1 ) OJ NO L 121 , 3 . 6 . 1971 , P . 26 .

COMMISSION DECISION

OF 23 MAY 1979

AUTHORIZING THE FRENCH REPUBLIC NOT TO APPLY COMMUNITY TREATMENT TO CERTAIN SETTS , FLAGS AND PAVING , HEARTH AND WALL TILES , FALLING WITHIN SUBHEADINGS 69.07 EX A OR B EX II AND 69.08 EX A OR B EX II OF THE COMMON CUSTOMS TARIFF , ORIGINATING IN THAILAND AND IN FREE CIRCULATION IN THE OTHER MEMBER STATES

( ONLY THE FRENCH TEXT IS AUTHENTIC )

( 79/582/EEC )

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN

COMMUNITIES ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY , AND IN PARTICULAR THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF ARTICLE 115 THEREOF ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE APPLICATION UNDER THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF ARTICLE 115 OF THE TREATY , MADE ON 16 MAY 1979 BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT TO THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES , FOR AUTHORIZATION NOT TO APPLY COMMUNITY TREATMENT TO CERTAIN SETTS , FLAGS AND PAVING , HEARTH AND WALL TILES , FALLING WITHIN SUBHEADINGS 69.07 EX A OR B EX II AND 69.08 EX A OR B EX II OF THE COMMON CUSTOMS TARIFF , ORIGINATING IN THAILAND AND IN FREE CIRCULATION IN THE OTHER MEMBER STATES ;

WHEREAS IN FRANCE THE IMPORTATION OF THE PRODUCTS IN QUESTION ORIGINATING IN THAILAND IS SUBJECT TO A QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTION ;

WHEREAS THE DISPARITIES WHICH EXIST IN THE COMMERCIAL POLICY MEASURES APPLIED IN CONNECTION WITH THESE PRODUCTS BY THE MEMBER STATES ARE CAUSING DEFLECTION OF TRADE , THEREBY PREVENTING THE EXECUTION OF THOSE COMMERCIAL POLICY MEASURES WHICH ARE IN FORCE BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULT ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE SECTOR CONCERNED ;

WHEREAS IT APPEARS FROM THE APPLICATION SUBMITTED THAT THERE ARE SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES IN THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR CONCERNED , INVOLVING A CONSIDERABLE DROP IN PRODUCTION AND EMPLOYMENT AND A PROGRESSIVE DECLINE IN ITS MARKET SHARE ;

WHEREAS THESE ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES ARE CAUSED LARGELY BY UNEQUAL CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION , WHICH ALLOW EXPORTS TO BE MADE AT PRICES APPRECIABLY LOWER THAN THOSE OF THE COMMUNITY PRODUCTS IN QUESTION ;

WHEREAS , ALTHOUGH THE IMPORTS WHICH GAVE RISE TO THE APPLICATION SUBMITTED WOULD APPEAR TO BE AN ISOLATED OPERATION , THEY ARE NEVERTHELESS LIKELY , IN VIEW OF THE SUBSTANTIAL VOLUME OF THE IMPORTS , TO AGGRAVATE THESE DIFFICULTIES , AND TO JEOPARDIZE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE COMMERCIAL MEASURES CONCERNED ;

WHEREAS IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SET IN MOTION RAPIDLY THE MACHINERY FOR BRINGING ABOUT THE NECESSARY COOPERATION FROM THE OTHER MEMBER STATES ;

WHEREAS AUTHORIZATION SHOULD ACCORDINGLY BE GIVEN FOR THE APPLICATION OF PROTECTIVE MEASURES UNDER THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF ARTICLE 115 , SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS LAID DOWN IN COMMISSION DECISION 71/202/EEC OF 12 MAY 1971 ( 1 ), AND IN PARTICULAR ARTICLE 1 THEREOF ;

WHEREAS , HOWEVER , THE APPLICATION FOR A LICENCE WHICH GAVE RISE TO THE APPLICATION IN QUESTION DOES NOT NEED TO BE COVERED BY SUCH AN AUTHORIZATION IN VIEW OF THE SMALL AMOUNT INVOLVED ,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION :

ARTICLE 1

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC IS AUTHORIZED NOT TO APPLY COMMUNITY TREATMENT TO THE PRODUCTS INDICATED BELOW , WHERE THEY ORIGINATE IN THAILAND AND ARE IN FREE CIRCULATION IN THE OTHER MEMBER STATES , AND IN RESPECT OF WHICH APPLICATIONS FOR IMPORT LICENCES WERE LODGED AFTER 11 MAY 1979 :

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CCT HEADING NO // DESCRIPTION //

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69.07 // UNGLAZED SETTS , FLAGS AND PAVING , HEARTH AND WALL TILES : //

EX A // - TILES AND CUBES FOR MOSAICS , OF EARTHENWARE OR FINE POTTERY , THE LONGEST SIDE OF WHICH DOES NOT EXCEED 5 CM //

B EX II // - OF EARTHENWARE OR FINE POTTERY , OTHER THAN THOSE WITH A SIDE LONGER THAN 40 CM //

69.08 // GLAZED SETTS , FLAGS AND PAVING , HEARTH AND WALL TILES : //

EX A // - TILES AND CUBES FOR MOSAICS , OTHER THAN OF COMMON POTTERY , THE LONGEST SIDE OF WHICH DOES NOT EXCEED 5 CM //

B EX II // - OTHER , OF CERAMIC MATERIALS OTHER THAN COMMON POTTERY //

ARTICLE 2

THIS DECISION SHALL APPLY UNTIL 30 SEPTEMBER 1979 .

ARTICLE 3

THIS DECISION IS ADDRESSED TO THE FRENCH REPUBLIC .

DONE AT BRUSSELS , 23 MAY 1979 .

FOR THE COMMISSION

WILHELM HAFERKAMP

VICE-PRESIDENT