NoL275/90 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 30.9.78
COMMISSION DECISION No2292/78/ECSC
of29September1978
extendingandamendingDecisionNo1525/78/ECSCestablishingasystemfor
thelodgingofdeposits
THECOMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
CoalandSteelCommunity ,andinparticularArticle
86andthefirstparagraphofArticle95thereof,
WhereasbyDecisionNo1525/78/ECSCof30June
1978(*)theCommissionestablishedasystemforthe
lodgingofdepositsincasesoftheprovisionalesta­
blishmentofaninfringement ofCommissionDeci­
sionsfixingminimumpricesforcertainsteel
products;
WhereastheDecisionsfixingminimumpricesfor
certainsteelproductsandimposinganobligationto
drawup'certificatesofconformityremaininforce
until31December1978;whereasthereasonsfor
whichtheCommission establishedthisdeposit
systemstillapply;
Whereasthissystemshouldthereforebeextendedfor
twomonthssubjecttocertainadjustmentsbetter
designedtoensurethatthebasicprinciplesofthe
Communityandtherightsofthoseconcernedarenot
affected;whereasitisimportanttorecallthedutyof
MemberStatestoensure,inapplyingthisDecision,
thatthefreemovementwithintheCommunityofthe
productsconcernedisnotimpeded;whereasin
certaincasesitmaybeacceptableforthedepositto
consistinanundertakingonthepartoftheexporter
topaythedeposit,securedbyaguaranteefromabank
establishedintheMemberStateinwhichthedeposit
ispayableandselectedfromalistdrawnupbyagree­
mentbetweentheCommission andtheMember
States;
WiththeunanimousassentoftheCouncilandafter
consultingtheConsultativeCommittee,
HASADOPTEDTHISDECISION :
Article1
Subjecttothefollowingamendments ,theprovisions
ofDecisionNo1525/78/ECSCgoverningthelodging
ofdepositsshallapplyuntil30November1978.
Article2
Article1(1)shallbereplacedbythefollowingtext:
Article1
1.Subjecttotheconditionshereinafterlaid
down,theCommissionmayrequireadeposittobelodgedforthefinesliabletobeimposedunder
Article64oftheTreaty.Thisdepositmaytakethe
form,dependingonthecase,eitherofadepositin
cashorofanundertakingonthepartofthe
exportertopaysuchdeposit,securedbya
guaranteefromabankestablishedintheMember
Stateinwhichthedepositispayableandselected
fromalistdrawnupbyagreementbetweenthe
CommissionandtheMemberStates(hereinafter
referredtoasa"bankguarantee".'
Article3
Article2shallbereplacedbythefollowingtext:
Article2
1.Theevidenceshallbeconsideredsufficient
withinthemeaningofArticle1(2)inallcases
where:
—thereisnocertificateofconformityaccom­
panyingthegoods,
—thepricesstatedinthecertificatesdonot
accordwiththeinvoicedprices,
—theweightsstatedinthecertificatesand
invoicesdonotaccordwiththeactualweights,
—thecertificateofconformityhasoneormore
essentialelementsmissing.
2.(a)Inthecasesreferredtoinparagraph 1the
competentauthoritiesoftheMemberStates
shallimmediatelyrequireacashdepositto
belodged.
(b)TheMemberStatesmayhoweversubmit
themattertotheCommission within24
hoursafterthedateonwhichthegoodsand
therelevantprescribeddocumentsare
presented.TheCommissionshallforthwith
approachtheundertakings anddealers
referredtointhefirstsentenceofArticle1
(2)inordertoestablishwhetherornota
fineshouldbeimposed.IftheCommission
failstotakesuchadecisionwithinseven
workingdaysafterthematterhasbeen
submittedtoit,thenationaladministration
concernedshallbedeemedtohavebeen
instructedtorequirepaymentofacash
deposit.
(c)IfaMemberStatedoesnotapplytheprovi­
sionslaiddowninsubparagraphs (a)or(b)
withinthestipulatedtimelimits,itshall
releasethegoodsforthwith. (»)OJNoL178,1.7.1978,p.90.

30.9.78 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL275/91
3.Wherethereissufficientevidence,other
thanthatprovidedforinparagraph 1,topresume
aninfringement ,thelodgingofadepositmaybe
requiredbyanationaladministration onlyonthe
instructionoftheCommission .
Thisinstructionmustberequestedbytheappro­
priatenationaladministration within24hours
afterpresentationofthegoodsandtherelevant
prescribeddocuments.IftheCommissionrequires
adeposit,thepartyconcernedmaychoosethe
formthereof.
Intheabsenceofsuchaninstructionfromthe
Commissionwithinfourworkingdaysafter
receiptoftherequestbytheMemberStateinques­
tion,nodepositshallberequiredandthegoods
shallbereleased.
4.Thedepositshallbelodgedwiththecompe­
tentnationalauthoritiesonbehalfoftheCommu­
nity.
5.Thepartyconcernedshallhavefreedisposal
ofthegoodsbeforetheexpiryoftheperiodslaid
downinparagraph3,providedthatthedeposit
hasbeenlodged.'
Article4
ThefollowingwordsshallbeaddedtoArticle3(2):
'...or,inthecaseofabankguarantee,torelease
it.Itshallstatethereasonsforitsdecision.'Article5
Article6shallbereplacedbythefollowingtext:
Article6
IfafineisimposedbytheCommissionwithin30
workingdaysfollowingthelodgingofthedeposit,
theamountofthelatterortheamountrecovered
underthebankguaranteeshallbepaidtothe
Community'saccountandsetoffagainstthe
amountofthefine.Inanyothercase,theamount
inquestionshallforthwithberefundedtothe
partyconcernedor,inthecaseofabank
guarantee,released.'
Article6
AnewArticleasfollowsisadded:
'Article6a
Whenimplementing thisDecision,theMember
Statesshallensurethatthefreemovementofiron
andsteelproductswithintheCommunityisnot
obstructed.Theyshallinparticularcomplywith
thetimelimitsprescribedforrequestsandnotifica­
tionstotheCommissionandfortherequiringand
repaymentofdepositsandreleaseofguarantees.'
Article7
ThisDecisionshallenterintoforceon1October
1978.
ThisDecisionshallbebindinginitsentiretyanddirectlyapplicableinallMember
States.
DoneatBrussels,29September1978.
FortheCommission
fctienneDAVIGNON
MemberoftheCommission