ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
DE LA COMMISSION 
 
 
 
COLLECTION RELIEE DES 
DOCUMENTS "COM" 
 
 
 
 
COM (83) 663 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/02 43 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Communit y and the European Atom ic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), t his file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februa r 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003  
(ABI. L 243 v om 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5  
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.  
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
C0M183) 663 final  
Brussels, 14 November 1983
Proposal for a  
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
amending Regulation (EEC) No 950/68 on the Common Customs Tariff
(submitted to the Council by the Commission)
C0M(83) 663 final

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
1. On 14 October the Commission sent to the Council a recommendation for
a Council Decision amending the GATT tariff concession on certain sound 
reproducers (C0M(83)620 final).
2. The aim of this proposal was to recommend that the Council amend with 
effect from 1  January 1984 the tariff concession on "sound reproducers
with laser optical reading system" falling within subheading ex 92.11 A. II. 
of the Common Customs Tariff.
The proposal was drawn up following the Commission's efforts - hampered 
by the dilatory attitude of the main supplier, i.e. Japan - to obtain a 
renegotiation of the concession previously granted under GATT on the sound 
reproducers in question.
3. In view of the failure to reach an agreement with the main trading 
partner and the time which had elapsed since GATT was notified (15 February) 
of the intention of the European Communities to renegotiate the concession 
on the said sound reproducers, recourse was made to Article XXVIII (3) (a) 
on the GATT, under which the tariff concession can be amended unilaterally.
4. To this end the recommendation for a Decision referred to above proposed 
that the Council modify the concession on "sound reproducers with laser 
optical reading system" falling within subheading ex 92.11 A. II. of the 
Common Customs Tariff in accordance with the following timetable:
from 1 January 1984 to 31 December 1986 the tariff concession will be 
raised to 19 %;
from 1  January 1987 to 31 December 1987 the tariff concession will be 
lowered to 16.5 %;
from 1  January 1988 to 31 December 1988 the tariff concession will be 
lowered to 13.5 %;
as from 1 January 1989 the tariff concession will be 9.5 %.

To a counterbalance this increase in customs duty, the Commission proposed  
that the Council provide compensation in respect of "combined apparatus  
using magnetic tapes on reels, excluding cassettes, and allowing sound  
recording or reproduction at a speed of 19 cm per second" falling within  
subheading ex 92.11 A. III. of the CCT. It was proposed that such  
compensation take effect in accordance with the following timetable:
from 1 January 1984 to 31 December 1986 the tariff concession will be  
zero;
from 1 January 1987 to 31 December 1987 the tariff concession will be  
2 %;
from 1 January 1988 to 31 December 1988 the tariff concession will be  
4 %;
from 1 January 1989 the tariff concession will be 7 %.
The Council discussed the Commission proposal on 17 O ctober. The conclusion  
reached was that the majority of delegations approved the Commission  
proposal in principle.
The Commission therefore proposes that the Council amend the Common Customs  
Tariff in accordance with the above recommendation for a Council Decision  
in respect of the conventional customs duties to apply from 1  January 1984.
As regards to other duties proposed for subsequent years, account will be  
taken of these in the annual proposals for amendments to the CCT.

Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 
amending Regulation (EEC) No 950/68 
on the Common Customs Tariff
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, 
and in particular Article 113 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas during the 1973 tariff renegotiations following the accession of 
Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom, the Community bound the customs 
duties on sound reproducers within subheading 92.11 A. II. of the Common 
Customs Tariff at a rate of 9.5%; whereas that binding is contained in the 
European Economic Community's schedule LXXII-EEC annexed to the General 
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade;
Whereas this concession should be modified to provide the industry concerned 
with increased, but temporary and degressive protection;
Whereas to that end the Commission notified the GATT of the 
Community's intention to renegotiate the concession on sound reproducers;
Whereas it has not been possible to arrive at an agreement with the main 
supplier;
Whereas under Article XXVIII (3) (a) of the GATT the Community, in the 
absence of agreement between the parties primarily concerned, is free to 
modify the concession in question;
Whereas the Council has approved the Commission recommendation to raise temporari ly 
the tariff concession on certain sound reproducers falling within sub­
heading 92.11 A. II. to 19 % with effect from 1 January 1984 and, by way of 
compensation, to reduce temporarily the tariff concession on certain combined 
apparatus falling within subheading 92.11 A. III. to zero with effect 
from 1  January 1984;

Whereas these amendments should therefore be made to the Common Customs  
Tariff annexed to Council Regulation (EEC) No 950/68^
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
The Common Customs Tariff annexed to Regulation (EEC) No 950/68
ishereby amended as follows:
Head—Rate of duty
ing
NoDescription Auto­
nomous
%Conven­
tional
%
92.11 Gramophones, dictating machines and other  
sound recorders or reproducers, including  
record players and tape decks, with or with­
out sound-heads; television image and sound  
recorders or reproducers:
A. Sound recorders or reproducers:
I. (unchanged) (unchanged) (unchanged)
II. Sound reproducers:
- a) Sound reproducers with laser  
optical reading system 19 19
b) Other 19 9.5
III. Combined sound recorders and  
reproducers:
a) Using magnetic tapes on reels,  
excluding cassettes, and allowing  
at least sound recording or repro­
duction at a speed of 19 cm per  
secondb) Other16
16exemption
7.6
B. (unchanged) (unchanged) (unchanged)
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1984.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable 
in all Member States.
Done at Brussels For the Council
OJ No L 172, 22.7.1968, p. 1.