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

COMMISSION DECISION

OF 18 JUNE 1979

AUTHORIZING THE FRENCH REPUBLIC NOT TO APPLY COMMUNITY TREATMENT TO UMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES ( INCLUDING WALKING-STICK UMBRELLAS , UMBRELLA TENTS , AND GARDEN AND SIMILAR UMBRELLAS ), FALLING WITHIN HEADING NO 66.01 OF THE COMMON CUSTOMS TARIFF , ORIGINATING IN HONG KONG AND IN FREE CIRCULATION IN THE OTHER MEMBER STATES

( ONLY THE FRENCH TEXT IS AUTHENTIC )

( 79/626/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 11 JUNE 1979 BY THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT TO THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES , FOR AUTHORIZATION NOT TO APPLY COMMUNITY TREATMENT TO UMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES ( INCLUDING WALKING-STICK UMBRELLAS , UMBRELLA TENTS , AND GARDEN AND SIMILAR UMBRELLAS ), FALLING WITHIN HEADING NO 66.01 OF THE COMMON CUSTOMS TARIFF , ORIGINATING IN HONG KONG AND IN FREE CIRCULATION IN THE OTHER MEMBER STATES ,

WHEREAS IN FRANCE THE IMPORTATION OF THE PRODUCTS IN QUESTION ORIGINATING IN HONG KONG IS SUBJECT TO AN ANNUAL QUOTA WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN WHOLLY TAKEN UP ;

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 ;

WHEREAS FURTHER INDIRECT IMPORTS , IN ADDITION TO THOSE ALREADY MADE OR PROPOSED , WOULD BE LIKELY TO AGGRAVATE THESE DIFFICULTIES ;

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 HONG KONG AND ARE IN FREE CIRCULATION IN THE OTHER MEMBER STATES , AND IN RESPECT OF WHICH APPLICATIONS FOR IMPORT LICENCES WERE LODGED AFTER 7 JUNE 1979 :

//

CCT HEADING NO // DESCRIPTION //

//

66.01 // UMBRELLAS AND SUNSHADES ( INCLUDING //

// WALKING-STICK UMBRELLAS , UMBRELLA TENTS , //

// AND GARDEN AND SIMILAR UMBRELLAS ) //

ARTICLE 2

THIS DECISION SHALL APPLY UNTIL NEW OPPORTUNITIES ARISE IN FRANCE FOR THE IMPORTATION OF THESE PRODUCTS FROM HONG KONG OR UNTIL 30 SEPTEMBER 1979 , WHICHEVER IS THE EARLIER .

ARTICLE 3

THIS DECISION IS ADDRESSED TO THE FRENCH REPUBLIC .

DONE AT BRUSSELS , 18 JUNE 1979 .

FOR THE COMMISSION

ETIENNE DAVIGNON

MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION