29.12.82 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL370/15
II
(Actswhosepublicationisnotobligatory)
COMMISSION
COMMUNICATION FROMTHECOMMISSION
concerningthepublicationofguidancepricesforcertainsteelproducts
provisionsrelatingtoproductionquotas(2)andfor
otherproductsforwhichthereisavoluntary
arrangementconcerningthereductionofdeliveries:TheCommissionoftheEuropeanCommunities ,inthe
contextofitscontinuousstudyofmarketandprice
trendsunderArticle46oftheECSCTreatyand
followingtheconclusionswhichitreachedindrawing
upitsforwardprogrammeforsteelforthefirstquarter
of1983,considersthatthepriceschargedforsteel
productssincetheendofthesecondquarterof1982are
stilltoofarawayfromthetargetsetbytheCommission
inthecommunication publishedintheOfficialJournal
of14November1981(*)andareimpedingthe
attainmentoftheaimssetoutinArticle3oftheTreaty.
Inparticular,theCommissonisoftheopinion,asare
theGovernments oftheMemberStateswhichhave
expressedthemselvesinfavourofstabilization
measures,thattheinadequacyoftheundertakings'
receiptisendangeringnotonlytherequisite
restructuringmeasuresinthesector—withtheriskof
aggravatingthesocialandregionalconsequences—but
alsotheverysurvivalofanumberofundertakings .
TheCommissionthereforeconsidersnecessarythatthe
partiesconcernedshouldbeguidedtowardsalevelof
priceswhich,whiletakingaccountofthelegitimate
interestsofsteelusers,reducesthisrisk.The
Commmission hasalsotakenintoconsideration the
structuraldifferences asbetweenintegrated
undertakingsandelectricmini-millswithregardtothe
makingofcertainproducts.
Tothisend,theCommissionherebypublishedthe
followingguidanceprices,subjecttotheconditions
indicatedbelow,forthesteelproductscoveredbytheProductsGuidanceprice
(inEcupertonne)
Hot-rolledwidestrip 352n
Narrowstrip 352(*)
Hot-rolledsheet,notincludingstrip 352(*)
Mediumandheavyplate 369(*)
Cold-rolledsheet(coiled) 446
Wirerod(fornetting) 257
Wirerod(fordrawing) 332
Ribbedconcretereinforcingbars
42kg/mm2min. 236
Merchantbars:—category1 266
—category2 322
—freecuttingsteels 429
Sectionsandbeams:—category1 317
—category2a 347
—category2b 386
—category2c 433
—category3 446
Hotdippedgalvanizedsheets 502
Electro-zinccoatedsheets 493
(*)Afterdeductionofalldiscountspublishedornotified,otherthan
merchantsdiscountandquantityallowances.
(2)DecisionNo1696/82/ECSCof30June1982(OJNo
L191,1.7.1982,p.1.) HOJNoC294,14.11.1981,p.3.

NoL370/16 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 29.12.82
TheCommissionrequeststhattheseguidanceprices
shouldbeadheredtowithinthepricerulesofArticle60
whenalignmenttakesplaceondeliveredpricesderived
fromthepricelistsofotherCommunityproducersor
onoffersoriginatingfromthirdcountries,whicharenot
barredfromtheapplicationofthealignmentrules.
TheCommissionrequeststheundertakingstomaintain
apaymentperiodofatmost30daysfollowingthe
monthofdispatch,netwithoutdiscountsandinterests
andwithinterestpenaltiesforlatepayment.The
Commissionurgesthatpricelistsshouldspecifythe
applicabilityofpricesonthedayofdelivery.Italso
stressesthatdeliveriesofsecondsandnon-prime
qualitiesshouldbestrictlylimited.
TheCommissionrequeststhattheseguidancepricesbe
chargedforalldeliverieseffectedasfrom1January
1983.ShouldtheCommission'scontinuousstudyofthe
marketleadittodetectanimprovement ,itwillpublish
newguidancepricesslightlyincreasedforsome
productstobeeffectivefordeliveriesonorafter1April
1983.Theseguidancepricescorrespondtotheconceptofa
basicprice—withpossibletemporaryrebatesdeducted
—andforabasicqualityex-basingpoint,withextras
forsizeandquality,etc.Theyapplytoex-workssales
andsodonotincludetheextrachargeswhichare
appropriateforex-stocksales.Itfollowsthatthe
discountsandreductionspublishedatpresent,including
anytemporarydiscounts,mustnotbeincreasedand
thatsurchangesmustnotbereducedorwithdrawn,if
suchalterationswouldadverselyreducethelevelofthe
guidanceprice.Wherethepricelistscontaineffective
pricesasafunctionofqualityorsize,thedifferentials
betweentheeffectivepricesresultingfromquality
and/orsizedifferencesshouldberegardedasextras.
However,theefforttorestructurethepricelists,in
particularasregardstheextrasforqualityandsizeand
theproceduresrelatingtocertaindiscounts,mustnotbe
hinderedthereby.
TheCommissionrequestssteelindustryundertakingsto
publishpricesintheirpricelistsintheirnational
currencyatlevelswhichcorrespondtotheequivalent
valueinECUconvertedattheexchangeratesof12June
1982forEuropeanmonetarysystemcurrencies,andfor
thosecurrenciesoutsidetheEMStheaverageratefor
themonthsofSeptember,OctoberandNovember
shouldbeused,itbeingunderstoodthatthepricesthus
establishedwillbeadjustedifthereisadivergencein
theexchangerateofplusorminus2-25%by
comparisonwiththeserates,includingtheliraand
thosecurrencieswhicharenotintheEMS.Inordertoensurethenecessarydisciplinewithregard
totherulesonprices,theCommissionwilltightenup
itscontrolswithregardtothecheckingofpricesand
Stateaid.

29.12.82 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoL370/17
DEFINITION OFCATEGORIES OFPRODUCTS
Ribbedconcretereinforcing
bars: withalimitofelasticityof420N/mm2(42kg/mm2)andaminimum
tensilestrengthof500N/mm2(51kg/mm2).
forqualityDINST33andST37-2orsimilarspecification
—roundsupto120mminclusive
—squaresupto80mminclusiveMerchantbars:
—Category1:
—flats(alldimensions )
—anglesupto100mminclusive(thelargerdimensionappliesinthe
caseofunequalangles)
—Tupto100mminclusive
—Ulessthan80mm
othersections,sizesandqualities. —Category2:
Sections
—Category1: IPNJ
UPNj80upto220inclusive
—Category2a: IPE80upto220inclusive
H100upto180inclusive
—Category2b:IPNi
UPNJ240upto300inclusive
IPE240upto400inclusive
H200upto300inclusivé
—Category2c: IPN320upto500inclusive
IPE450upto600inclusive
H320upto600inclusive
—Category3: H650upto1000inclusive
andallothersections.