No C 258/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 10. 89 
Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 3976/87 on the 
application of Article 85 (3) of the Treaty to certain categories of agreements and concerted 
practices in the air transport sector 
COM(89) 373 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 8 September 1989) 
(89/C 258/06) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 87 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 3976/87 O 
empowers the Commission to declare by way of regu­
lation that the provisions of Article 85 (1) do not apply 
to certain categories of agreements between under­
takings, decisions by associations of undertakings and 
concerted practices; 
Whereas these block exemptions have been granted for a 
limited period, expiring on 31 January 1991, during 
which air carriers can adapt to the more competitive 
environment introduced by changes in the regulatory 
system applicable to intra-Community international air 
transport; 
Whereas a continuation of block exemptions after that 
date is justified by the further measures to liberalize the 
air transport sector adopted by the Community; whereas 
the scope of these block exemptions and the conditions 
attached to them should be defined by the Commission, 
in close liaison with the Member States, taking into 
account changes to the competitive environment 
achieved since the entry into force of Regulation (EEC) 
No 3976/87, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
Regulation (EEC) No 3976/87 is hereby amended as 
follows: 
(") OJ No L 374, 31. 12. 1987, p. 9. 1. Article 2 (2) is replaced by the following: 
'2. The Commission may, in particular, adopt such 
regulations in respect of agreements, decisions or 
concerted practices which have as their object any of 
the following: 
— joint planning and coordination of the capacity to 
be provided on scheduled air services, 
— consultations for common preparation of 
proposals on tariffs, fares and conditions for the 
carriage of passengers and baggage on scheduled 
air services, 
— slot allocation at airports and airport scheduling, 
— common purchase, development and operation of 
computer reservation systems relating to 
timetabling, reservations and ticketing by air 
transport undertakings, 
— technical and operational ground handling at 
airports, such as aircraft push back, refuelling, 
cleaning and security, 
— handling of passengers, mail, freight and baggage 
at airports, 
— services for the provision of in-flight catering'; 
2. Article 3 is replaced by the following: 
T. A regulation pursuant to Article 2 shall be made 
for a specified period. 
2. It may be repealed or amended where circum­
stances have changed with respect to any factor which 
was basic to its being made; in such case, a period 
shall be fixed for modification of the agreements and 
concerted practices to which the earlier regulation 
applies.' 
3. Article 8 is deleted. 
Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 July 1990. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and 
directly applicable in all Member States.