++++

( 1 ) THIS AGREEMENT WAS CONCLUDED DURING THE 79TH SESSION OF THE COUNCIL , HELD ON 23 JANUARY 1962 .

AGREEMENT ON CERTAIN MEASURES TO FACILITATE CUSTOMS CLEARANCE OF PRODUCTS COVERED BY THE ECSC TREATY CARRIED BY RAIL

THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES , MEETING IN COUNCIL ,

HAVING REGARD TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY ;

HAVING REGARD TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT OF 21 MARCH 1955 ( 1 ) ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THROUGH INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY TARIFFS , MADE IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE SECOND PARAGRAPH , AND OF SUBPARAGRAPH ( 2 ) OF THE THIRD PARAGRAPH OF ARTICLE 10 OF THE CONVENTION ON THE TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS , AND IN PARTICULAR TO ARTICLE 3 OF THAT AGREEMENT ;

WHEREAS A REDUCTION IN WAITING AND SHUNTING TIMES AT FRONTIER STATIONS COULD REDUCE OPERATING COSTS FOR RAILWAYS , THUS MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR THE FINANCIAL LOSSES SUSTAINED BY RAILWAYS AS A RESULT OF THE APPLICATION OF THE ABOVEMENTIONED AGREEMENT OF 21 MARCH 1955 TO BE PARTIALLY RECOUPED ;

WHEREAS THE DESIRED SPEEDING UP OF INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT WOULD BENEFIT USERS ;

WHEREAS SIMPLIFICATION OF CERTAIN CUSTOMS PROCEDURES MIGHT ENABLE THESE OBJECTIVES TO BE ATTAINED ,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS :

ARTICLE 1

PRODUCTS COVERED BY THE ECSC TREATY APPEARING IN THE SCHEDULE ANNEXED HERETO SHALL , WHEN CARRIED IN HOMOGENEOUS COMPLETE TRAIN-LOADS OR IN HOMOGENEOUS SETS OF WAGONS , BE EXAMINED BY THE CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ARRIVAL AT FRONTIER STATIONS IN COMMUNITY COUNTRIES AGAINST THE INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS DECLARATION FORM TIF AND , IN THE CASE OF PRODUCTS FOR WHICH A GOVERNMENT STIPULATES SUCH REQUIREMENT , ON PRODUCTION OF SUCH DOCUMENTARY PROOF AS THAT GOVERNMENT CONSIDERS ESSENTIAL .

ARTICLE 2

THE RAILWAY AUTHORITIES SHALL , IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE EXAMINATION REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 1 AND SUBJECT WHERE NECESSARY TO THE PROVISION OF GUARANTEES , BE AUTHORIZED :

- TO CARRY OUT ALL MARSHALLING AND MAKING UP OF TRAINS WITH A VIEW TO THE CARRIAGE ONWARDS OF GOODS ,

- TO ALLOW THE GOODS TO PROCEED TO THEIR DESTINATION - SUBJECT TO A CUSTOMS DECLARATION BEING LODGED SUBSEQUENTLY - WHERE THE CONSIGNMENTS ARE DESIGNATED BY THE RAILWAY AUTHORITIES AS CONSIGNMENTS REQUIRING FINAL CLEARANCE AT THE FRONTIER .

ARTICLE 3

CUSTOMS CHECKS SHALL BE PERFORMED BETWEEN THE TRACKS AND AS FAR AS POSSIBLE THE BRINGING OF WAGONS ALONGSIDE THE PLATFORM OR ON TO A SPECIAL TRACK SHALL BE AVOIDED , PROVIDED THAT THE RAILWAY AUTHORITIES HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF CUSTOMS OFFICERS .

ARTICLE 4

SAMPLING , WEIGHING AND OTHER SIMILAR MEASURES SHALL BE LIMITED TO A STRICT MINIMUM .

ARTICLE 5

THE PROVISIONS OF THE PRECEDING ARTICLES SHALL APPLY FROM 1 APRIL 1962 .

ARTICLE 6

THE GOVERNMENT OF EACH MEMBER STATE , ACTING THROUGH THE COUNCIL , SHALL INFORM THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE OTHER MEMBER STATES AND THE HIGH AUTHORITY OF THE MEASURES TAKEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING THIS AGREEMENT .

ARTICLE 7

THE MEASURES PROVIDED FOR IN THIS AGREEMENT SHALL CONSTITUTE MINIMUM REDUCTIONS IN FORMALITIES AND SHALL NOT PRECLUDE THE APPLICATION OF WIDER REDUCTIONS WHICH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER STATES GRANT OR MAY GRANT EITHER UNILATERALLY OR UNDER BILATERAL AGREEMENTS .

SCHEDULE OF PRODUCTS COVERED BY THE ECSC TREATY CARRIED IN HOMOGENEOUS ( 1 ) COMPLETE TRAIN-LOADS OR IN HOMOGENEOUS SETS OF WAGONS ( 2 ) ELIGIBLE TO BENEFIT FROM THE SPECIAL FACILITIES PROVIDED FOR IN ARTICLES 1 AND 2

1 * 2

CCT HEADING NO * DESCRIPTION OF GOODS

* I . METALLIC ORES

26.01 A II * IRON ORES AND CONCENTRATES

26.01 B * MANGANESE ORES AND CONCENTRATES , INCLUDING MANGANIFEROUS IRON ORE CONTAINING 20 % OR MORE BY WEIGHT OF MANGANESE

26.02 * BLAST FURNACE DUST

* II . MINERAL FUELS

27.01 * COAL ; BRIQUETTES , OVOIDS AND SIMILAR SOLID FUELS MANUFACTURED FROM COAL

27.02 * LIGNITE , WHETHER OR NOT AGGLOMERATED

27.04 A II * COKE AND SEMI-COKE OF COAL ( OTHER THAN FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ELECTRODES )

27.04 B * COKE AND SEMI-COKE OF LIGNITE

* III . IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS

73.06 * PUDDLED BARS AND PILINGS ; INGOTS , BLOCKS , LUMPS AND SIMILAR FORMS OF IRON OR STEEL

73.07 A I A * BLOOMS AND BILLETS , ROLLED , OF IRON OR STEEL , UNCLAD

73.07 B I A * SLABS AND SHEET BARS , ROLLED , OF IRON OR STEEL , UNCLAD

73.08 A * IRON OR STEEL COILS FOR RE-ROLLING , UNCLAD

73.09 A * UNIVERSAL PLATES OF IRON OR STEEL , UNCLAD

73.10 A I * WIRE ROD

73.10 A II * SOLID BARS , NOT FURTHER WORKED THAN HOT ROLLED OR EXTRUDED , OF IRON OR STEEL

73.11 B * SHEET PILINGS OF IRON OR STEEL , WHETHER OR NOT DRILLED , PUNCHED OR MADE FROM ASSEMBLED ELEMENTS

73.16 A II A * NEW STEEL RAILS ( OTHER THAN CURRENT-CONDUCTING RAILS WITH PARTS OF NON-FERROUS METAL )

( 1 ) A COMPLETE TRAIN-LOAD OR A SET OF WAGONS IS CONSIDERED TO BE " HOMOGENEOUS " WHEN THE LOAD CONSISTS ENTIRELY AND SOLELY EITHER OF ORES , OR FUELS , OR OF IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS FALLING ENTIRELY UNDER A SINGLE HEADING IN COLUMN 1 OF THE LIST OF PRODUCTS .

( 2 ) " SET OF WAGONS " MEANS A GROUP OF WAGONS WITH A MINIMUM LOAD OF 120 METRIC TONS .

DECLARATION BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES

ON THE OCCASION OF THE ADOPTION OF THE AGREEMENT ON MEASURES TO FACILITATE CUSTOMS CLEARANCE OF PRODUCTS COVERED BY THE ECSC TREATY CARRIED BY RAIL , THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES , MEETING IN COUNCIL , DECLARED IT TO BE HIGHLY DESIRABLE THAT :

( A ) WITH THE AGREEMENT OF THE RAILWAY AUTHORITIES , CUSTOMS OPERATIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FRONTIER SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN THE SAME PLACE , EITHER AT ONE STATION OR AT A NUMBER OF STATIONS , EACH OF WHICH SPECIALIZES EITHER IN TRAFFIC IN ONE DIRECTION OR IN ONE PARTICULAR TYPE OF TRAFFIC ;

( B ) THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS LOCALIZATION OF OPERATIONS SHOULD BE FULLY EXPLOITED BY SEEKING A DEGREE OF UNIFORMITY IN CHECKING METHODS , SO AS TO ALLOW FORMALITIES BY BOTH CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT AT THE SAME TIME .