ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(75)153
Vol.1975/0062

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUS.OEBAN COMMOMX
COM(75)153 final
Brussels .10April 1975
Proposal for a
COUNCIL REGULATION (ESC )
temporarily suspending theautonomous
duties inthe Common Customs Tariff on
anumber ofagricultural products
(submitted bytheCommission totheCouncil )
COM (75)153final

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM j
A. ;j
Atitsmeetingson28January,"24/25/26.Februaryan4:13/L4'-Mapoii'1^T5theJoixvbGroupj
ofgovernmentexpertswhichmeetsundertheaegisoftheCommissionto i
studyeconomicproblemsrelatingtotheCommonCustomsTariffexamined: \
-theadvisability ofextending,forcertainagricultural products,
thesuspensionsofdutieswhichareduetoempireon30June1975» !
and...... !
-newapplications submittedbycertainMemberStatesforthesuspension
•.ofcommoncustomsdutiesonagricultural productsfrom1July1975*
-Theapplications submittedconcernedproductsinrespectofwhichthe
MemberStatesconcernedconsideredthataprovisionalreductionof
autonomousdutiesintheCommonCustomsTariffwasjustifiedfor
...economicreasons,owingtothenon-existence ofinadequacyof
. ,• "
kproductionintheCommunity.
B.
FollowingtherequestsfromMemberStatesandafterexaminingthem,
theCommissionhastakenintoaccounttheparticular economicsituations
concerningtheproductsincruestion.
1)Fish 1 [|
I
TheCommunity'sprocessingindustryforfishisnotadequately >1
suppliedbyCommunityfishermen.Communitycatchesarebecoming !
increasingly smaller,sothatsomeMemberStateshavebecome
dependentonlargequantitiesofimportsfromthirdcountries.
Nevertheless ,thedutiesapplicabletothesefish(basicmaterials
forpreservationinparticular)reducethecompetitiveness ofthe
industries concerned.
Suspensionsofdutiesareintendedtoenabletheprocessingindustry
tocompetewithsuppliersoffinishedproductsfromthirdcountries
whosepricesaremorecompetitive.Inaddition,,suspensionsof
dutiescouldchecktheconsta-ntincreaseinthepricesofprocessed
-fish.W.. ,

-2-
Thefollowing table ,based ontheavailable statistical data ,could
serve toillustrate theeconomic situation inthis sector intheMember
States submitting applications forsuspensions ofduties .
Federal Republic ofGermany (1973 )
Description of
productsHeeds
(inmetric
tonnes )Supplies
(inmetric
tonnes )Imports
from ,the
Community
.(inmetric
tonne® V
t ■'from
third
countries
(inmetric
tonnes )
1 2 3 4 5
Mackerel ^fresh ,
chilled orfrozen χ χ 4,419 2,903
Scltnon ,fresh ,
chilled orfrozen
Salted Salmon •2,200 99 630 1,471
Piked dog-f isn ,fresh ,
chilled orfrozen 2,895 228 589 2,078
Black halibut ,fresh ,
chilled orfrozen 6,553 , 1,524 817 4,212
Coalfish ,salted or
inbrine 1»785 0 182 1,603
Fillets of .Salthe,
salted orinbrine 1*850 O 0 1-850
Sprats ,salted or
inbrine χ χ 28 321
Anchovies ,salted
orinbrine χ X 28 321
Solubie products
offish χ X 24*653 19*670
•••/ •
xfigures notavailable

-3-
Fronce (1973 )
Description of Heeds Supplies Jmports from
product s (inmetric (inmetric (from tpe- third
r. tonnes ) tonnes ) cgofnmuirii;t ^_ countries
■\inmetric (inmetric
r;;tonnes j'..itonnes )
1 2 3 Â _ 5
Anchovies 7,584 5., 136 7,443
Crawfish ,frozen
and chilled 794 I" ■ 793
Bénélux (1973 )
Hackerei ,frech .
chilled orfrozen 14,242 8,835 4,482 925
Crabs χ χ 221 1,338
Shrimps 4.610 779 2,475 1,356
Denmark (1973 )
Pish Eos .fresh .
chilled orfrozen 2,138 1*594 , 127 2»417
Pish Rose ,salted
ormbrine 5,71.1 0 0.1 571
Asthis situation isnotexpected tochange inthenear future ,duties
must besuspended foroneyear ,i.e. from 1July 1975 to30June 1976 *
Asmackerel areexempt from theCommon Customs Tariff from 15February
to15June ,andsuspended until 30June 1975 ,itisproposed ,that 'the
duty onthese fish should besuspended for .the .period 1.July -19751
t;0/_14 :February 1976 .... ,„
xFigures are netavailable . *«•/•••

-4-
Inthecaseofsardines(Clupeapilchardusl/albaum),suspensionof
dutyhasbeenrequestedonseasonalgroundsfortheperiod1September
1975'"to-31March1976,~- ....
Inthecaseofmostfisheryproductsthecurrentsuspensionofduties
whichisduetoexpireon30June1974istoteprolonged.Inthe
caseoffilletsofsaithaandsalmon,canned,anewtariffmeasureis
tobeintroduced*.
2)Oystersweighingnomorethan12geach:oystersofthe"Cassostrea
gigas"varietyweighingmorethan100geach
.....Asa,resultofpollutionalong .theAtlanticcoastinparticular ,
averyhighmortalityratehasbeenrecordedintheoysterfarms.
Asittakesseveralyearstoreconstitute thefarmsanddueto
.....increasedconsumption ,itisimpossibleatpresenttoobtain
sufficientmotheroystersandspatwithasufficiently highresis­
tanceandafastrateofgrowth'ontheCommunitymarketjthese
productsmustthereforebeimportedfromthirdcountries,in
particularJapan.
Hotonlymustoysterfarmsbereconstituted buttheymustalso
continuetogrow,inviewoftheconstantlyincreasingdemandfor
adultoysters. ' "
Inordertomeetherneedsin19731Franceimported250metric
tonnesofoysterspatweighingnotmorethan12geachfromthe
CommunityasoriginallyconstitutedaswellasdOmetrictonnes
fromthenewMemberStatesandhadtoimport2,337metrictonnes
fromthirdcountries.Duringthesameperiod,sheimported170
metrictonnesofoystersoftheCassostreagigasvarietyfrom
thirdcountries(Canada)..Inviewofthesituationitwouldseem
necessary :..toprolongthecurrenttotalsuspensionofdutiesuntil
30June1976.

-5-
3)Chantarelies,"bilberriesandrose-hipsandCranberries
TheneedsoftheCommunityprocessingindustryfortheseproducts
mustbecoveredbyimportsfromthirdcountries.Forexample,
thestatisticaldata(1974,inmetrictonnes)fortheFederal
RepublicofGermanyareasfolloxirs:
Description of
productsKoeds
(inmetric
tonnes)fromthe
Community
(inmetric
tonnes)fromthird
countries
(inmetric
tonnes)
Chantarelies
inbrine «- 950 0 950
Rosehips 163 0 158
Eilberries
fl*053i'-n 407 0 407
Crtxb-.rries
froaen 4.300 0 4.300
•Customsprotectiondoesnotseemnecessciryforeconomicreasons
becausethehighwagesforpickingtheproductsmakedomestic
productionimpossible.Suspension .ofdutieswillenablethe
Community 1s.processingindustrytocompetewithoffersoffinished
productsfromthirdcountrieswhosepricesaremorefavourable#
Itwouldtherefore !seem.adequatetoprolongthecurrentsuspension
ofduties(chantarellcs :4$»rndrose-hips:Of.)until30June
1976,andtosuspend,i'forthefirsttime,commoncustomstariff
dutieson.
4)"DriedWhiteBeans .
TheneedsoftheCommunityfortheseproductscannotbecovered
bytheCommunityharvest.Forthisreason,theUnitedKingdom
will-havetomeetitsneedsforthesevegetables whichamountto

-6–
82,000tonnesfortheyear1974byimportsfromthird,countries,
Whitedriedbeansweresubjecttoseriouspriceincreases "in1974
:and.becauseoftheinadequacyoftheharvest,thesepricescontinue
torisein1975*Thesuspensionofthedutywouldallowtheproces­
singindustryofthisvegetabletokeeptheeventualpricerises
downtotheminimum,inlinewiththedesiretocontrolinflation.
Inthesecircumstances ,itwouldseemappropriatefortheCommission
toactupontheUnitedKingdomrequestfortotalsuspension -ofthe
dutyfor12months^ ...t-r•
5;Dates
Frenchpackersfounditdifficulttoobtainsuppliesparticularly
fromAlgeriaandTunisia.Sincethesecountriesreservetheir
productionforlocalpackers,theseproductsmustbeimported
fromotherthirdcountries,whence,forexample,5*321metrictonnes
wereimportedin1973#
Asaresultofthesesuppliesthepackingindustry .hasbeenable
tosurviveandensureasatisfactory levelofemployment ■with
jobsforapproximately 3,000workersinaregion-theSouth-
whereemploymentopportunities areverylimited.Asthesituation
isnotchanging,the'Commissionconsidersitnecessarytoprolong
until30June1976thetotalsuspensionofduties.Itseems
appropriatetotheCommissiontoextend,followingtherequest
oftheGermanFederalRepublic,"thissuspensionofcustomsduties
tofrozendates,forwhichaneedtoimportbythatMemberState
fromthirdcountriessome5*400tonnesperyear.
TheCommunityprocessingindustryhastosupplyitselfwithfresh
ordrieddatesfortheproductionofsauces,picklesandvarious
typesofbakeryproducts,byimportsfromthirdoountries.For
theBritishindustryalone,10,000tonnesofthisproductare
•••/•••

-7-
importedannuallyfromIranandIraq.OneoftheMemberStatesis
concernedthatthesedatesmay,regretably,beusedforwineproduction ,
thiscanbeavoidedbyaspecialdestination clauseandastrictcontrol
ofdestination bynationalAdministrations .Intheinterestsofthe
competitiveness ofCommunityindustrymentionedabove,itseemstobe
nowopportunetocontinuethetotalsuspensioncurrentlyinforce,for
thisproductforaperiodofoneyear.
6)Saffron
ThereisonlyminimalproductionofthisproductwithintheCommunity,
butthereisnevertheless aprocessingindustry,particularly in
Prance,whichneeds5»3metrictonnesayear.•Giventhatduring
thepastnewyearsthepriceofimportedsaffronhasrisenconsider­
ably,thereisadangerofanincreasingly moremarkeddisaffection
forsaffronbecomingnoticeableandconsequently theactivityofthe
processingindustryceasing.'Itwouldthereforeseem'desirableto
prolonguntil30June1976thesuspensionofdutyatthepresent
levelof10k,forthisproduct.
7)Groundpaprika
Thisproductismixedwithfeedingstuffsforlayinghensandisnot
asubstituteforanyotheragricultural productusedforthesame
purpose.Communityneedswithregardtothisproductmustbecovered
entirelybyimportsfromthirdcountries.Forexample,theFederal
RepublicofGermanyhadtoimport5»590metrictonnesofpaprika
fromthirdcountriesin1974*In"theinterestsofthecompetitiveness
oftheCommunity'sproductionofanimalfeedingrstuffs,thecurrent
totalsuspensionofdutiesmustbeprolongeduntil30June1976.
8)BitterorSevilleoranges .> :
*
TheCommunity'sprocessingindustryhasanurgentneedforthis
basicproduct,theproductifim.i ofwhichisfairlylimited.Italy
isunabletosupplythisindustrysufficiently sothatthelatter
isdependantonimportsfromSpain.Forexample:theneedsof
/
»••/•••

-8-
theindustrymquestionintheBeneluxcountriesin1973,900
metrictonnes,couldbecoveredonlypartiallybysuppliesfrom
theCommunity(200metrictonnes).Thisindustryhadtoimport
678metric,tonnesfromthirdcountries,hencetheproposalto
prolonguntil30June1976thesuspensionofdutiesatthepresent
•levelof4fc,
»••• "
9)Christmastrees
TheneedsoftheFederalRepublicofGermanyforcutChristmas
treescannotbemetinsufficientquantitiesfrominternalsources
(14millionfirs).Itisthereforenecessarytoimportanadditional
2millionfirs,mainlyfromDenmark,
<
Giventhat.thedutyratesfortheCommunityasoriginallyconstituted
withregardtoDenmarkhaveonlybeenreducedby40%uptonow,the
customsreceiptsfromimportsof.firsfromDenmarkstillamount
to.6%oftheirvalue.SincethedeliveriesfromDenmarkcannotbe
compensatedforbytheotherMemberStates,thedutiesarecausing
ariseinthepricesontheGermanmarket•Thetemporarysuspension
ofthedutiesoftheCommonCustomsTariffmaybeconsideredasan
efficiqntmethodofavoidinganeventualriseinthepricesof
Christmastrees*
TakingintoaccountthesuspensionofthedutiesoftheCommonCustoms
Tarifffortheproductsconcerned,thenewMember .Statesshcrixldsuspend
theirtariffs .for,theperiodenvisagedinconformitywithArticle39
paragraph 2oftheActconcerningtheconditionsofAccession.
C.
Thegroupalsoexaminedthepossibilityofsuspending commoncustoms
dutiesonthefollowingproducts: '.'.

-9-
exchapter15Inediblebeefdripping,otherwiseknown ,as
"inedibletallow"withacholesterol content
exceeding0.2^,beingafatfortechnicalpurpose
otherthanforthepreparation ofproductsfor
humanconsumption.
ex16.05BShrimpsandprawnsofthe"PandalusBorealis"
variety,boiledinwaterandshelled,whetheror
notfrozen,intendedforindustrialmanufacture of
products -fallingwithinheadingNo.16.05.
InthisrespecttheCommissiondoesnotagreetoproposingasuspension
ofdutiesfortheseproductsatthisstageforthefollowingreasons:
1)Inediblebeefdripping
ThenationalexpertsoftheMemberStatesandtheCommission
arecurrentlyexaminingthequestionofwhetherthisproduct
shouldbeclassifiedundertariffheading15.02(exempt)or
ex15.06(2.5$)•Untilthispointhasbeensettledfinally,
adecisiononsuspensionofcustomsdutiescannotbetalcen.
2)Shrimpsandprawnsofthe"PandalusBorealis"variety
Inviewofthecurrentdifficultsituationofshrimpfishersin
certainMemberStates,theCommissiondsnotinapositionto
proposetariffmeasures,(neithersuspensionofduties,nor
CommunitytariffCustoms).
D.
C0TCLUSICTT
TheCommission ,pursuanttoArticle43oftheTreatyproposetothe
Counciltakingmeasuresforsuspensionofcommoncustomstariffduties--_
•••••

-10-
onproductsappearingintheAnnextothisregulation.Formostof
theseproductsthegovernmentexpertsoftheMemberStateshavealready
shownunanimousagreementintheirpreparatory workinthe"Economy
-TariffProblems"Group*Fortherest,themechanismofArticle43
makesitpossibletoadoptingtherepairedmeasurssbyaqualifisJ .
majority.

-1-
Proposal fora
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
temporarily suspending theautonomous duties inthe
Common Customs Tariff onanumber ofagricultural
products
THECOUNCIL OPTHEEURQPEAH COMMUNITIES ,\ *
Having regard totheTreaty establishing theEuropean Economic
Community ,andinparticular Article 43thereof ;
Having regard totheproposal from theCommission ;
Having regard totheOpinion oftheEuropean Parliament 5
Whereas production intheCommunity oftheproducts specified in
this regulation iscurrently inadequate ornon-existent andwhereas
producers thus 'cannot meet theneeds ofuser industries inthe
Community }
Whereas itisinthe interest of -theCommunity incertain cases
partially tosuspend theautonomous duties intheCommon Customs
Tariff because these goods areproduced intheCommunity ,andinother
cases toeffect total suspensions ;
Khereas inview ofthedifficulty ofassessing accurately short-term
trends intheeconomic situation intherelevant sectors ,suspension
measures should betaken only fortemporary periods the length of
which istobedetermined byreference totheinterests ofCommunity
production ;
HAD ADOPTED THIS REGULATION :
•••/•••

-2-
Article1
TheautonomousdutiesintheCommonCustomsTarifffortheproducts
listedinthetablesannexedtothisRegulationshallbesuspended
atthelevelindicatedinrespectofeachofthem.
Thesesuspensionsshallbeapplicable :
-from1July1975"to14February1976fortheproductlistedin
TableI;
-from1July1975"to30June1976fortheproductslistedin
TableII;
-from1September1975"t°31March1976fortheproductlistedin
TableIII;
-from15Octoberto31December1975fortheproductlistedin
TableIV.
Article2
ThisRegulationshallenterintoforceonthethirddayfollowing
itspublicationinthe-OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities ..
ThisRegulationshallbebindinginitsentiretyanddirectly
applicableinallMemberStates...
FortheCouncil,
DoneatBrussels
ThePresident,

ΔΜΕΧ
TABL31
CCTheadingNo.Description ofgoods Autonomous
CCTduties
1 2 .3
ex03.01BIm)2Mackerel,fresh,chilledorfro­•\*
zen,whole,headless,orm
pieces,intendedforthepro-
12% cessingindustry,(a)
a'Theapplicationofthissuspensionwillbe
subjecttotheconditionsdeterminedbythe
competentauthorities.

TABLEII
03.01Alb)Salmon,fresh(liveordead),chilled Ofc
orfrozen..
ex03.01BIe)Pikeddog-fish(Squalusacanthias),Cffo
fresh,chilledorfrozen,whole
headlessorinpieces
ex03.01BIg)Blackhalibut(Hippoglossusreinhard-Off
,tius),fresh,chilledorfrozen,
whole,headlessorinpieces.
4
ex03.01BIq)Sardinopssaga::sardinopsocellata
(pilchards),fresh,chilledor
frozen,whole,headlessorinpieces,
intendedfortheprocessingindustry
(a)
ex03.01BIq)Sturgeons,fresh,chilledorfrozen,8$
whole,headlessorinpieces,
intendedfortheprocessingindustry(a)
ex03.01CRoes,fresh,chilledorfrozen 0?o
ex03.02Ale)Anchovies(Engraulissp.p.)salted 0ft
orinbrine,whole,headlessorin
pieces,inbarrelsorothercon­
tainersofanetcapacityof10kg;•'
ormore ..
03.02Ale)Salmon,saltedorin-brine,whole,--4$
headlessorinpieces
ex03.02AIf)Sprats,saltedorinbrine,whole,
headlessorinpieces C$
•••/«•«
(a)Theapplicationofthissuspensionvrillbe
subjecttotheconditionsdeterminedbythe
competentauthorities.

-3-
ex03.C2AIf)Saithe(Gadusvirens),saltedorin"brine,
whole,headlessorinpieces .' 1%
ex03.02AIId)FilletsofSaithe(Gadusvirens),salted
orinbrine,\fhole,headlessorinpieces 75°
ex03.02CFishroe,.saltedorinbrine Cffo
ex03.03AITailsofcrawfish,chilledorfrozen,10$
shelledornot
ex03.03Bib)Oysters,fresh(living),weighingnomoreCffo
than12geach
ex03.033Ib)Oysters,fresh(living),ofthe."Crassos-Cffo
treagigas"variety .weighingmorethan
100geach
ex07.03EChantarellesprovisionally preservedin4$
brine,insulphurwater..orinother
preservative •solutions,butnotspecially
preparedforimmediateconsumption
exO7.O5BIBeansdried,whiteofthespeciesPhaseo-Cff
lusvulgaris
ex08,01ABates,freshordried,forrepacking,.forretailsale(a)' . .C$
ex08.01ADates,freshordried,intendedforpro--.Ofo
cessingotherthanfortheproduction
ofalcohol(a)
ex08.01FShelledcashewnuts Cff
ex08.02AIIBitterorSevilleoranges,freshor 8$
dried
ex08.09 Rose-hips,fresh 0%
ex08.10ABilberries ,cookedoruncooked,pre­
servedbyfreezing,withoutaddedsugar4$
ex08.10BCranberries,cookedoruncooked,preserved Cffo
byfreezing,withoutaddedsugar
v'Theapplicationofthissuspensionwillbe
subjecttotheconditionsdetermined bythe
competentauthorities

-4-
ex08,10 B Dates ,frozen inimmediate packings ofanet
- .. capacity of5kgormore ,notintended ,for
theproduction ofalcohol "(a)' ' ""' ■
ex09.04 BI Paprika ,ground ,foruseinanimal feeding - Cffo
stuffs (a)
09.10 CI Saffron,' neither crushed orground ICffo
ex16.04 B Salmon ,canned ,ofanetweight of1.8kg 5$
ormore ,intended fortheprocessing industry
(a)
ex16.04 CII Spiced andsalted herrings ,packed inbarrels 3$>
fortheprocessing industry (a)
ex16.05 A Crabs ofthe "King ","Eanasaki ","Kegani "and Cfi
"Queen "varieties ,simply boiled inwater and
shelled ,whether ornotfrozen ,inpackings
ofanetcapacity of2kgormore ,intended
fortheprocessing industry (a)
ex16.05 B Shrimps and ■nrs.wns other than those ofthe lOfo
."Cranffon "and "Panotitis /cm -3.is*varieties boilee !inwater
andshelled ,whether orrur* iwtanilod forthe
industrial manufacturers ofproducts falling
within heading No.16.05(a)
23.07 A Fish ormarine mammal solubles 2$
(a)Theapplication ofthis suspension will be
subject totheconditions determined bythe
competent authorities

TABLEIII
ex03.01Bld.)Sardines(Clupeapilchardus'Jalbaum), Cffc
fresh,.chilled,orfrozen,whole,-ofar•
lengthof20cmormore

ex06,04BINatural
and"branchesofconeieruu
ornamentalpurposes ■