ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(74)986
Vol.1974/0165

Disclaimer
Conformément aurèglement(CEE,Euratom)n°354/83duConseildu1erfévrier1983
concernantl'ouvertureaupublicdesarchiveshistoriquesdelaCommunauté économique
européenne etdelaCommunauté européenne del'énergieatomique(JOL43du15.2.1983,
p.1),telquemodifiéparlerèglement(CE,Euratom)n°1700/2003du22septembre2003
(JOL243du27.9.2003,p.1),cedossierestouvertaupublic.Lecaséchéant,lesdocuments
classifiésprésentsdanscedossierontétédéclassifiés conformément àl'article5dudit
règlement.
Inaccordance withCouncilRegulation(EEC,Euratom)No354/83of1February1983
concerningtheopeningtothepublicofthehistoricalarchivesoftheEuropeanEconomic
Community andtheEuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunity (OJL43,15.2.1983,p.1),as
amendedbyRegulation(EC,Euratom)No1700/2003of22September2003(OJL243,
27.9.2003,p.1),thisfileisopentothepublic.Wherenecessary,classifieddocuments inthis
filehavebeendeclassified inconformitywithArticle5oftheaforementioned regulation.
InÜbereinstimmung mitderVerordnung(EWG,Euratom)Nr.354/83desRatesvom1.
Februar1983überdieFreigabederhistorischen ArchivederEuropäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft undderEuropäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI.L43vom15.2.1983,
S.1),geändertdurchdieVerordnung (EG,Euratom)Nr.1700/2003vom22.September2003
(ABI.L243vom27.9.2003,S.1),istdieseDateiderÖffentlichkeit zugänglich.Soweit
erforderlich,wurdendieVerschlusssachen indieserDateiinÜbereinstimmung mitArtikel5
dergenanntenVerordnungfreigegeben.

COMMISSION OFTHEJ8UB.OP2AN COR
COM(74)986final
Brussels.1July1974
SecondAmendedProposalforaRegulation(EEC)oftheCouncilconcerning
limitationperiodsfortheimpositionandenforcementofpecuniarysanctions
undertherulesoftheEuropeanEconomicCommunityrelatingtotransportand
tocompetition ,
(submittedtotheCouncil "bytheCommissionpursuantto
Article149(2)oftheEECTreaty)
COM(74)986final

Annex
IV/181/74-E
Second Amended Proposal foraRegulation (EEC)oftheCouncil concerning
limitation periods fortheimposition andenforcement ofpecuniary sanctions
under therules oftheEuropean Economic Community relating totransport and
tocompetition *
THECOUNCIL OPTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard totheTreaty establishing theEuropean Economic Community ,
andinparticular .Articles 75»79 27thereof ;
Having regard totheproposal from theCommission ;
Having regard totheOpinion oftheEuropean Parliament ;
Having regard totheOpinion oftheEconomic andSocial Committee ;
Whereas under therules oftheEuropean Economic Community relating totransport
andtocompetition theCommission haspower toimpose fines (orpenalties )and
periodic penalty payments onundertakings orassociations ofundertakings which
infringe itsright ofinformation andinvestigation ,orwhich contravene the
prohibition ondiscrimination ,restrictive practices andabuse ofdominant
position ;whereas those rules make noprovision foranyperiod oflimitation ;
Whereas itisdesirable intheinterests oflegal certainty that theprinciple
oflimitation beintroduced andthat relevant implementing rules belaid down ;
whereas ,forthematter tobecovered fully ,itisnecessary that provision for
limitation bemade notonly asregards thepower toimpose fines (orpenalties )
butalso asregards thepower toenforce decisions imposing fines (orpenalties )
orperiodic penalty payments ;whereas therelevant provisions should specify
thelength oflimitation periods ,thepoint from which time starts torunand
theevents which have theeffect ofinterrupting orsuspending therunning of
time ;
Amendments totheformer version oftheproposal foraRegulation are
underl ined .

2- Anne :-:
Iv/lGl/74-s
Whereas inthis respect regard ,should behadboth tothe interests ofunder­
taking 'sandassociations ofundertakings andtotherequirements imposed by
theadministrative practice oftheCommission ;
Whereas itwould seen appropriate tovary according tothetype ofinfringement
concerned thelength oftheperiod ontheexpiry ofwhich theCommission 's
power toimpose fines (orpenalties )becomes barred ;whereas theprovisions
from which theCommission derives iispower toimpose fines (orpenalties )are
based ontheprinciple that infringements oftheCommission 'sright ofinforma­
tion andinvestigation arc ofaless serious nature than infringements ofthe
prohibitions ondiscrimination ,restrictive practices andabuse ofdominant
position ;whereas itistherefore proper tomake asimilar distinction in
fixing thelength ofperiods oflimitation ;whereas itwould accordingly seem
appropriate tolaydown athree-year period oflimitation forinfringements of
theCommission 'sright ofinformation andinvestigation andafive-year period
fortheother infringements towhich this Regulation applies ..
Whereas itisdesirable intheinterests oflegal certainty toestablish the
principle that theperiod oflimitation forthe imposition ofpecuniary sanctions
shall runfrom thedate ofcommission oftheinfringement ;whereas ,however ,
aslong asanyundertaking orassociation ofundertakings remains inbreach of
anyrule oftheEuropean Economic Community concerning transport orcompetition ,
nosuch period canbeallowed torun initsfavour ;whereas itshould accordingly
beprovided that asregards continuing orrepeated infringements time starts
torunonly from thedate when theundertaking orassociation concerned puts
anendtoitsinfringement ;
Whereas ifproceedings inrespect ofinfringements are tobeeffective itis
essential that there beproper provision forinterruption oftherunning of
thelimitation period ;whereas proceedings maybecome barred only incases
where thecompetent authority hasthroughout therelevant limitation period
taken noaction inrespect oftheinfringement ;whereas time cannot therefore
beallowed toruninfavour ofundertakings orassociations where that authority ,
acting inconformity with theprovisions applicable ,isinthecourse of

-3- Annex
IV/181/74-E
conducting anenquiry ortaking proceedings inrespect oftheinfringement ;
whereas itshould accordingly "beprovided that anyaction inthis' respect
taken bytheCommission ,orbyaMember State attherequest oftheCommission ,
andnotified toanyoftheparties concerned shall interrupt therunning of
time ;whereas itshould moreover beexpressly specified that thetaking of
anysuch action shall interrupt therunning oftime asregards alltheunder­
takings orassociations ofundertakings participating intheinfringement ;
whereas itismoreover desirable ,inorder toprevent the undertakings or
associations ofundertakings concerned from suffering the disadvantages of
excessively long drawn-out proceedings ,that interruptions oftherunning of
time should besubject toatime limit ;whereas itshould accordingly be
provided that theCommission 'spower toimpose fines (orpenalties )should
inany event become barred upon the expiry oftwice therelevant limitation
period .
Whereas itwould also seem appropriate tolaydown rules forsuspending the
running oflimitation periods forthe imposition ofpecuniary sanctions ;whereas
time cannot beallowed torun infavour ofundertakings orassociations of
undertakings during aperiod inwhich theCommission isprevented from' taking
proceedings inrespect ofthe infringement ;whereas itshould accordingly bo
provided that therunning oftime shall besuspended for solong ast)rocecdings
relating toadecision oftheCommission arepending before theCourt of -
Justice ofthe Eurooean Communities . - • •
Whereas byvirtue ofthefirst paragraph ofArticle 192oftheTreaty establish­
ingtheEuropean Economic Community decisions oftheCommission imposing fines
(orpenalties )orperiodic penalty payments onundertakings orassociations
ofundertakings arefully enforceable ;whereas itwould seem appropriate to
provide that thepower oftheCommission toenforce such decisions besubject
toafive-year limitation period ,running from thedate upon which the
decision becomes final ;
Whereas itshould beprovided that therunning oftheperiod forenforcement
ofdecisions mayalso beinterrupted orsuspended .

Annex
IV/161/74-E
Whereas anyvariation ofadecision oranyrefusal ofanapplication for
variation must prevent tine from running ;nor ,moreover ,cantime beallowed
toruninfavour ofanyundertaking orassociation ofundertakings upon which
apecuniary sanction hasbeen imposed where thecompetent authority isacting ,
inconformity with therelevant procedural rules ,toenforce thedecision ;
whereas itshould therefore beprovided that anydecision varying theoriginal
amount ofthefine (orpenalty )orperiodic penalty payment orrefusing an
application forvariation ,andlikewise anyaction taken bytheCommission ,
orbyaMember State attherequest oftheCommission ,toenforce payment of
"afine (orpenalty )orperiodic penalty payment ,shall interrupt therunning
oftime ;
Whereas time cannot moreover beallowed toruninfavour ofanyundertaking
orassociation ofundertakings onwhich apecuniary sanction hasbeen
imposed where theCommission isprevented from taking steps toenforce
payment ofthesums duetoit;whereas itshould accordingly beprovided
'that therunning oftime besuspended forsolong asanyrelief as'to
payment isallowed ,ortheenforcement ofpayment issusp'ended "pursuant
toadecision oftheCourt ofJustice oftheEuropean Communities ..
Whereas'.' lastly ,it"should beexpressly specified that therules relating
tolimitation rieriods apply also to'infringements committed before the
- '^entry into force ofthis Regulation . ■
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION , -,

-5- Armex
IV/181/74-E
Article 1
Limitation periods for "theimposition ofpecuniary sanctions
(1)Hiepower oftheCommission toimpose fines (orpenalties )forinfringements
oftherules oftheEuropean Economic Community relating totransport orto
competition shall "besubject tothefollowing limitation periods :
(a)three years inthecase ofaninfringement ofanyoftheprovisions
concerning applications ornotifications submitted "byundertakings
orassociations ofundertakings ,requests forinformation ,orthe
carrying outofinvestigations ;
(b)five years inthecase ofallother infringements towhich this
Regulation applies .
(2)Time shall runfrom thedate onwhich theinfringement iscommitted ,save
inthecase ofcontinuing orrepeated infringements ,inrespect ofwhich
time shall runfrom thedate upon which -theinfringement isterminated . ■
Article -2 - - - ■
Interruption oftherunning oftheperiod forthe imposition ofsanctions
(l)Anyaction taken bytheCommission ,orbyanyMember State attherequest of
theCommission ,forthepurpose ofestablishing theexistence ofaninfringement
orbringing proceedings inresnect ofthe same shall interrupt therunning of
thelimitation period *Thelimitation period shall beinterrupted v:ith effect
from the date on -vhich such action isnotified .
Actions which interrupt therunning oftheperiod shall include inparticular
thefollowing :
(a)thesending bytheCommission.' orbythecompetent authority ofany
Member State atthe request ofthe Commission ,ofawritten request
for information ;oradecision ofthe Commission requiring that the
information requested besup-olied ;

-6- Annex
IV/181/74-E
(b)theissuing toitsofficials ,bytheCommission orfrythecompetent
authority ofanyMember State atthe request ofthe Commission ,of
written instructions tocarry out investigations ;oradecision by
the Commission ordering aninvestigation ;
(c)thecommencement ofaprocedure bytheCommission ;
(d)notification ofthematters towhich theCommission hastaken objection .
(2)Anyaction within themeaning ofparagraph 1shall interrupt therunning of
time asregards alltheundertakings orassociations ofundertakings which
participate intheinfringement .
(3)Each interruption shall start time running afresh ,provided however that the
right toimpose pecuniary sanctions shall inany event become barred when
twice thelimitation period ,plus anyperiod during which therunning oftime
issuspended pursuant toArticle 3.has elapsed since the date onwhich it
began to'run without afine ,penalty orpenalty payment having been imposed
bythe Commission »
Article 3
Suspension oftherunning oftheperiod forthe imposition ofsanctions
•Therunning oftime shall besuspended for solong asproceedings relating to
therelevant decision oftheCommission arepending before theCourt ofJustice
ofthe European Communities .
Article 4
Limitation period fortheenforcement ofdecisions
(1)Thepower' oftheCommission toenforce decisions imposing fines (orpenalties )
orperiodic penalty *f>ayinents forinfringements oftherules oftheEuropean Economic
Community relating totransport ortocompetition shall -besubject -toalimitation
period offive years .
(2)Time shall runfrom thedate upon which thedecision becomes final .

-7- Annex
ΐν/ΐεΐ/74-Ε
Article 5
Interruption oftherunning ofthelimitation period
for the enforcement ofdecisions
(1)Thefollowing events shall beregarded asinterrupting therunning oftime :
(a)notification of&decision varying theoriginal amount ofthefine (or
penalty )orperiodic penalty payments orrefusing anapplication for
variation ;
(b)anyaction taken bytheCommission ,orbyaMember State attherequest
oftheCommission ,forthepurpose ofenforcing payment ofafine (or
penalty )orperiodic ponalty payments .
(2)Each interruption shall start time running afresh .
Article 6
Suspension oftherunning ofthelimitation period
for the enforcement ofdecisions
Therunning oftime shall besuspended for solong as:
(a)anyrelief astopayment isallowed ;or
(b)enforcement ofpayment issuspended pursuant toadecision ofthe
Court ofJustice oftheEuropean Conmunit5.es .
Art ioie 7
Application totransitional cases
The above rules shall apply also inrespect ofinfringements committed before
the entry into force ofthis Regulation .
Article 8
Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on
This Regulation shall bebinding initsentirety anddirectly applicable in
/all Member States .