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

COMMISSION DECISION

OF 21 MARCH 1980

AUTHORIZING THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM , THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG AND THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS NOT TO APPLY COMMUNITY TREATMENT TO UNGLAZED SETTS , FLAGS AND PAVING HEARTH AND WALL TILES , FALLING WITHIN HEADING NOS EX 69.07 AND EX 69.08 OF THE COMMON CUSTOMS TARIFF , ORIGINATING IN JAPAN AND IN FREE CIRCULATION IN THE OTHER MEMBER STATES

( ONLY THE DUTCH AND FRENCH TEXTS ARE AUTHENTIC )

( 80/415/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 17 MARCH 1980 BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE BENELUX COUNTRIES TO THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES , FOR AUTHORIZATION NOT TO APPLY COMMUNITY TREATMENT TO UNGLAZED SETTS , FLAGS AND PAVING HEARTH AND WALL TILES , FALLING WITHIN HEADING NOS EX 69.07 AND EX 69.08 OF THE COMMON CUSTOMS TARIFF , ORIGINATING IN JAPAN AND IN FREE CIRCULATION IN THE OTHER MEMBER STATES ;

WHEREAS , IN THE BENELUX COUNTRIES , THE IMPORTATION OF THE PRODUCTS IN QUESTION ORIGINATING IN JAPAN IS SUBJECT TO AN ANNUAL QUOTA ;

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 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 FURTHER INDIRECT IMPORTS , IN ADDITION TO THOSE ALREADY MADE , WOULD BE LIKELY TO AGGRAVATE THESE DIFFICULTIES AND TO JEOPARDIZE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMMERCIAL MEASURES IN QUESTION ;

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 KINGDOM OF BELGIUM , THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG AND THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS ARE AUTHORIZED NOT TO APPLY COMMUNITY TREATMENT TO THE PRODUCTS INDICATED BELOW , WHERE THEY ORIGINATE IN JAPAN AND ARE IN FREE CIRCULATION IN THE OTHER MEMBER STATES , AND IN RESPECT OF WHICH APPLICATIONS FOR IMPORT LICENCES WERE LODGED AFTER 14 MARCH 1980 :

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CCT HEADING NO // DESCRIPTION //

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EX 69.07 AND EX 69.08 // UNGLAZED SETTS , FLAGS AND PAVING , HEARTH AND WALL TILES //

ARTICLE 2

THIS DECISION SHALL APPLY UNTIL NEW OPPORTUNITIES ARISE IN THE BENELUX COUNTRIES FOR THE IMPORTATION OF THESE PRODUCTS FROM JAPAN OR UNTIL 30 SEPTEMBER 1980 .

ARTICLE 3

THIS DECISION IS ADDRESSED TO THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM , THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG AND THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS .

DONE AT BRUSSELS , 21 MARCH 1980 .

FOR THE COMMISSION

WILHELM HAFERKAMP

VICE-PRESIDENT