8.7.77 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL170/23
COMMISSION DECISION
of14April1977
authorizingtheKingdomofBelgium,theGrandDuchyofLuxembourgandthe
KingdomoftheNetherlandsnottoapplyCommunitytreatmenttocertain
men's,boys',women's,girls'andinfants'outergarmentsfallingwithinheading
ex61.01andex61.02oftheCommonCustomsTariff,originatinginHongKong
andinfreecirculationintheotherMemberStates
(OnlytheFrenchandDutchtextsareauthentic)
(77/427/EEC)
clothingindustryconcernedresultinginaprogressive
declineofproductionandaconstantreductionofthe
numberofworkersemployedinthatsector;
Whereastheseeconomicdifficultiesarecausedlargely
byunequalconditionsofcompetitionwithcertain
counries(includingHongKong),wherebysuchcoun­
triesareenabledtoexportatpriceslowerthanthose
ofproducersintheBeneluxcountries;
Whereasindirectimportsoftheproductsinquestion,
whichwouldbeinadditiontothesealreadyeffected,
wouldbelikelytoaggravatetheseeconomicdiffi­
culties;
Whereasitisnotpossibleatthepresenttimetosetin
motionthemachineryforbringingabouttheneces­
sarycooperationfromtheFederalRepublicof
Germany,theUnitedKingdomandtheother
MemberStates;
Whereasauthorizationshouldthereforebegiven,fora
limitedperiod,fortheapplicationofprotective
measures,underthefirstparagraphofArticle115,
subjecttotheconditionslaiddownbytheCommis­
sionDecisionof12May1971(*),andinparticular
Article1thereof,
HASADOPTEDTHISDECISION :
Article1
TheKingdomofBelgium,theGrandDuchyof
LuxembourgandtheKingdomoftheNetherlandsare
authorizednottoapplyCommunitytreatmentto
importsofthefollowingproducts:THECOMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES ,
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
EconomicCommunity ,andinparticularthefirstpara­
graphofArticle115thereof,
Havingregardtotheapplicationunderthefirstpara­
graphofArticle115oftheTreaty,madeon6April
1977bytheGovernments ,oftheBeneluxcountriesto
theCommission bytelexfromtheOfficeofthe
PermanentRepresentative oftheKingdomofthe
NetherlandstotheEuropeanCommunities ,forauthor­
izationnottoapplyCommunitytreatmenttocertain
men's,boys',women's,girls'andinfants'outer
garments(trousersandshorts)fallingwithinheading
Nosex61.01andex61.02oftheCommonCustoms
Tariff,originatinginHongKongandinfreecircula­
tionintheFederalRepublicofGermanyandthe
UnitedKingdom,
WhereasimportsintotheCommunityoftheproducts
inquestionoriginatinginHongKongarethesubject
ofanAgreementnegotiatedbetweentheCommunity
andHongKongconcludedon8April1976;
WhereasundertheAgreementHongKonghasunder­
takentotakeallnecessarystepstolimititsexportsof
certaintextileproductstotheCommunitytocertain
ceilingsallocatedamongMemberStates;
WhereasthequotashareallocatedtotheBenelux
countriesinrespectofmen's,boys',women's,girls'
andinfants'trousers,jeansandthelike(otherthan
knittedorcrochetedarticles)is2467000items(1977
annualquota),whereasthequotasharesallocatedto
theFederalRepublicofGermanyandtotheUnited
Kingdomforsuchproductsoriginatinginthesame
non-membercountryare21717000and26213000
itemsrespectively ;
Whereasdisparitiesintheconditionsofimportation
oftheseproductshavecreatedintheBeneluxcoun­
triesanindirecttradeflowwhichthreatensto
continueandtogrow;
Whereasaccordingtoinformationsuppliedbythe
Governments oftheBeneluxcountriesthereare
seriouseconomicdifficultiesinthebranchoftheCCT
heading
NoDescriptionofgoods
ex61.01 Men'sandboys'outergarments(other
thanknittedorcrocheted):
—Trousersandshorts
ex61.02Women's,girlsandinfants'outergarments
(otherthanknittedorcrocheted):
—Trousersandshorts
(!)OJNoL121,3.6.1971,p.26.

NoL170/24 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities8.7.77
wheretheyoriginateinHongKongandareinfree
circulationintheotherMemberStates,andinrespect
ofwhichapplicationsforimportlicenceswerelodged
after27March1977.
Article2
ThisDecisionshallapplyuntilnewopportunities
ariseintheBeneluxcountriesfortheimportationof
theproductsinquestionfromHongKongandinany
casenotlaterthan31December1977.Article3
ThisDecisionisaddressedtotheKingdomof
Belgium,theGrandDuchyofLuxembourgandthe
KingdomoftheNetherlands .
DoneatBrussels,14April1977.
FortheCommission
fitienneDAVIGNON
MemberoftheCommission