COMMISSION DECISION No 2903/90/ECSC of 8 October 1990 prohibiting alignment on offers of steel products originating from certain third countries

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, and in particular the first and second paragraphs of Article 95 thereof,

Whereas:

Since 1978 the Commission has adopted a series of measures designed to combat the crisis and facilitate restructuring in the steel industry in the Community.

The governments of certain third countries have assured the Commission of their cooperation in this respect; whereas by Decision No 527/78/ECSC (1), and most recently by Decision No 1141/89/ECSC (2), the Commission withdrew the right of Community undertakings to align on offers of certain steel products originating in these third countries.

Arrangements have been concluded with certain third countries for 1990; whereas it is therefore necessary for the Commission to withdraw the right of Community undertakings to align their prices on low-priced offers from these third countries.

The Treaty, and more particularly Article 60 thereof, makes no provision for a prohibition of this nature; whereas prohibition of such alignments is necessary for the functioning of the common market in steel and, in conformity with Article 5 of the Treaty, for the attainment of one of the Community's objectives as defined in Articles 2, 3 and 4; whereas Article 2 of the Treaty calls upon the Community to pursue its objectives in harmony with the general economy of the Member States; whereas the economic and social objectives set out in Article 3 (c), (e) and (g) also necessitate the taking of this Decision.

The general principles regarding intervention by the Commission, as laid down in Article 5 of the Treaty, apply.

Cooperation with the countries in question does not cover all steel products; whereas it is therefore necessary to specify the steel products covered by the measure.

Cooperation by the countries concerned applies only for a limited period; whereas the prohibition of alignment must have a time limit.

The arrangements with the third countries may be cancelled or extended to other third countries; whereas the Commission must therefore be able to alter the list of countries involved.

It is necessary that Community undertakings continue to have the right to align on offers originating in those third countries from which the Commission has not obtained this cooperation.

Observance of the prohibition must be assured by penalties; whereas application of the penalties provided for in Article 64 of the Treaty seems appropriate for breaches of price provisions.

Having consulted the Consultative Committee, and with the unanimous assent of the Council of Ministers,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

Community undertakings are hereby prohibited from aligning their offers on the terms of offers of third country undertakings for products as set out in Annex 1 originating from the countries set out in Annex 2.

This prohibition on alignment shall not apply to steel used for the construction of seagoing vessels or drilling platforms.

The Commission will amend Annexes 1 and 2 if need be.

Article 2

The penalties provided for in Article 64 of the Treaty shall be applicable in the event of infringements of Article 1 of this Decision.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

It shall apply until 31 December 1990.

The Commission reserves the right to repeal this Decision in whole or in part before that date should market conditions and the interests of Community undertakings so require.

This Decision shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 8 October 1990.

For the Commission

Martin BANGEMANN

Vice-President

(1) OJ No L 73, 15. 3. 1978, p. 16.

(2) OJ No L 141, 25. 5. 1989, p. 11.

ANNEX 1 LIST OF ECSC STEEL PRODUCTS UNDER ARRANGEMENT

(combined nomenclature)

7201 10 11

7201 10 19

7201 10 30

7201 10 90

7201 20 00

7201 30 10

7201 30 90

7201 40 00

7202 11 20

7202 11 80

7202 99 11

7203 90 00

7204 50 10

7204 50 90

7208 11 00

7208 12 10

7208 12 91

7208 12 99

7208 13 10

7208 13 91

7208 13 99

7208 14 10

7208 14 90

7208 21 10

7208 21 90

7208 22 10

7208 22 91

7208 22 99

7208 23 10

7208 23 91

7208 23 99

7208 24 10

7208 24 90

7208 31 00

7208 32 10

7208 32 30

7208 32 51

7208 32 59

7208 32 91

7208 32 99

7208 33 10

7208 33 91

7208 33 99

7208 34 10

7208 34 90

7208 35 10

7208 35 91

7208 35 93

7208 35 99

7208 41 00

7208 42 10

7208 42 30

7208 42 51

7208 42 59

7208 42 91

7208 42 99

7208 43 10

7208 43 91

7208 43 99

7208 44 10

7208 44 90

7208 45 10

7208 45 91

7208 45 93

7208 45 99

7208 90 10

7209 11 00

7209 12 10

7209 12 90

7209 13 10

7209 13 90

7209 14 10

7209 14 90

7209 21 00

7209 22 10

7209 22 90

7209 23 10

7209 23 90

7209 24 10

7209 24 91

7209 24 99

7209 31 00

7209 32 10

7209 32 90

7209 33 10

7209 33 90

7209 34 10

7209 34 90

7209 41 00

7209 42 10

7209 42 90

7209 43 10

7209 43 90

7209 44 10

7209 44 90

7209 90 10

7210 11 10

7210 12 11

7210 12 19

7210 20 10

7210 31 10

7210 39 10

7210 41 10

7210 49 10

7210 50 10

7210 60 11

7210 60 19

7210 70 11

7210 70 19

7210 90 31

7210 90 33

7210 90 35

7210 90 39

7211 11 00

7211 12 10

7211 12 90

7211 19 10

7211 19 91

7211 19 99

7211 21 00

7211 22 10

7211 22 90

7211 29 10

7211 29 91

7211 29 99

7211 30 10

7211 41 10

7211 41 91

7211 49 10

7211 90 11

7212 10 10

7212 10 91

7212 21 11

7212 29 11

7212 30 11

7212 40 10

7212 40 91

7212 50 31

7212 50 51

7212 60 11

7212 60 91

7213 10 00

7213 20 00

7213 31 00

7213 39 00

7213 41 00

7213 49 00

7214 20 00

7214 30 00

7214 40 10

7214 40 91

7214 40 99

7214 50 10

7214 50 91

7214 50 99

7214 60 00

7215 90 10

7216 10 00

7216 21 00

7216 22 00

7216 31 11

7216 31 19

7216 31 91

7216 31 99

7216 32 11

7216 32 19

7216 32 91

7216 32 99

7216 33 10

7216 33 90

7216 40 10

7216 40 90

7216 50 10

7216 50 90

7216 90 10

7219 11 10

7219 11 90

7219 12 10

7219 12 90

7219 13 10

7219 13 90

ex 7219 14 10

ex 7219 14 90

ex 7219 21 11

ex 7219 21 19

ex 7219 21 90

ex 7219 22 10

ex 7219 22 90

ex 7219 23 10

ex 7219 23 90

ex 7219 24 10

ex 7219 24 90

7219 31 10

7219 31 90

7219 32 10

7219 32 90

7219 33 10

7219 33 90 7219 34 10

7219 34 90

7219 35 10

7219 35 90

7219 90 11

7219 90 19

7220 11 00

7220 12 00

7220 20 10

7220 90 11

7220 90 31

7221 00 10

7221 00 90

7222 10 11

7222 10 19

7222 10 91

7222 10 99

7222 30 10

7222 40 11

7222 40 19

7222 40 30

7225 10 10

7225 10 91

7225 10 99

ex 7225 20 11

ex 7225 20 19

7225 20 30

ex 7225 30 00

ex 7225 40 10

ex 7225 40 30

ex 7225 40 50

ex 7225 50 00

7225 90 10

7226 10 10

7226 10 30

ex 7226 20 10

ex 7226 20 31

7226 20 51

7226 20 71

ex 7226 91 00

ex 7226 92 10

7226 99 11

7226 99 31

7227 20 00

7227 90 10

7227 90 90

7228 10 30

7228 20 11

7228 20 19

7228 20 30

ex 7228 30 10

ex 7228 30 30

ex 7228 30 80

7228 60 10

ex 7228 70 10

7228 70 31

ex 7228 80 10

7228 80 90

7301 10 00

Explanatory list of the 'ex' positions

ex 7219 14 10

ex 7219 14 90 Other than of a thickness of less than 1,5 mm and containing less than 12 % of chromium ex 7219 21 11

ex 7219 21 19

ex 7219 21 90

ex 7219 22 10

ex 7219 22 90 Other than rolled on four faces or in a closed box pass and containing less than 12 % of chromium ex 7219 23 10

ex 7219 23 90

ex 7219 24 10

ex 7219 24 90 Containing 1 % or less of carbon and 12 % or more of chromium ex 7225 20 11 In coils and of a thickness of 1,5 mm or more or rolled on four faces or in a closed box pass ex 7225 20 19 Of a thickness of 3 mm or more ex 7225 30 00 Of a minimal thickness of 1,5 mm ex 7225 40 10

ex 7225 40 30

ex 7225 40 50 Rolled on four faces or in a closed box pass ex 7225 50 00 Of a thickness of 3 mm or more ex 7226 20 10

ex 7226 91 00 Other than of a width exceeding 500 mm and rolled on four faces or in a closed box pass, and other than of a width of 500 mm and of a thickness of less than 1,5 mm ex 7226 20 31

ex 7226 92 10 Of a thickness of 3 mm or more ex 7228 70 10

ex 7228 80 10 Other than high-speed steel

ANNEX 2 BRAZIL

BULGARIA

CZECHOSLOVAKIA

HUNGARY

POLAND

ROMANIA