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DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(76)429
Vol.1976/0129

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
\ COM(76)429 final .
Brussels ,28July 1916,
/
Proposal foraCouncil Decision
concerning theentry into force ofth^Agreement ontheinternational
carriage ofperishable foodstuffs and onthespecial equipment to "be
used forsuch carriage (AT?)
(submitted totheCouncil "bytheCommission )
\
\r r
COM(76)429final .

Explanatory Memorandum
1. On1September 197^* "theUnited Nations' Economio Commission for
Europe published theAgreement ontheinternational carriage ofperishable
foodstuff andonthespecial equipment to "beused forsuch carriage (ATP).
TheAgreement wasopene ^forsignature on31May1971 and ,whenenough countries hadsigned ,i^^nter intoforce on21November 197^»
Thenine Member States oftheCommunity contributed tothedrafting
oftheAT?andatthepresent time Franoe andtheFederal Republio of
Germany have already ratified it.
TheATPAgreement lays down that thecarriage ofchilled ordeep-
frozen foodstuffs andmilk products ,meat ,fish andgame between signatory
States byrail androad oracombination ofthetwo ,must ,depending onthe
case ,becarried outusing insulated andrefrigerated equipment which meets
spsoific standards andconditions .
2. TheCommission attaches great importance tothe entry into force
.oftheATP ,which itregards asanessential pre-requisite fortheesta­
blishment ofuniform regulations forthe carriage ofperishable foodstuffs
which will apply toageographical area larger than theterritory ofthe
nine Member States .Implementation ofthis Agreement will unquestionably
help toimprove theconservation ofthequality ofperishable foodstuffs
during transport andparticularly asregards trade between theCommunity
andnon-member countries :improved conditions ofconservation 'are also
likely tolead toanincrease inthetrade ofperishable foodstuffs
between the Comrrunity andnon-member countries .
3. Within th«Community thepublic health conditions under which
certain perishable x'oodstuffs aretransported between Member States are
aubject tothefollowing Community regulations :
-Council Directive 64/433/EECof26June 19^4 onhealth problems affecting
intra-Community trade infresh meat ,
-Council Directive "Jl/llQ/ESGof15February 1971 011health problems
affecting trade infresh poultrymeat (Annex I,Chapters IX,XandXl),
-Council Directive 72/462/EECof12December 1972 onhealth andveterinary
inspection problems upon importation ofbovine animals andswine and
fresh meat from third countries (Annex I-Chapters XI,XIIandXIIl ),
f
\

-Council Directive 75/431/330of10'July 1975 amending Directive 'Jl/llQ/'EEQ
onhealth problems affecting trade infresh poultryraeat .
There isnocontradiction between theCommunity provisions andthe
standards laid down intheATP .
4. TheECE andtheCommission have received aproposal from the
Danish Government toaddprovisions totheATP onmaintenance inspections
ofthe equipment tobeused forthe carriage foperishable foodstuffs ,and
toamend theterms intheATPregarding themaximum temperature for the
transport of "butter ,fish andmilk .
This Government then withdrew these proposals from theECEWorking
Party onthecarriage ofperishable foodstuffs pending adecision ata
Community level .
These problems have been considered bytheCommission and the
Council but joint presentation bytheMember States ofarequest for
amendments totheAgreement ianotpossible atthis stage .Itwastherefore
agreed that themain need was fortheCommunity toaccede totheAgreement
asquickly aspossible inorder toavoid differences intransport arran­
gements between the ]Jine -orsome Community countries –andnon-member
countries ''who are signatories totheAgreement .
5. Theregulations prescribed bytheATPforthecarriage ofperi­
shable foodstuffs arealso ofmajor significance forthecommon transport
policy .
Indeed ,itwould severely prejudice theharmonization ofthe
conditions ofcompetition and thesmooth functioning ofthetransport
market ifthecarriers specializing inthese categories offoodstuffs were
subject todifferent rules ,aswould bethecase ifalltheMember States
didnotapply ths .ATPprovisions .
6. Since the AT?covers anarea within the scope ofCommunity regu­
lations onhealth conditions inthetransport ofcertain perishable
foodstuffs ,theprocedure laid down byArticle 228should intheory be
applied inrespect oftheCommunity ;however ,thespecial circumstances
surrounding thenegotiations fortheAgreement taay tbywayofexception ,
justify theapplication ofanadhocprocedure ,bearing inmind the
judgment oftheCourt ofJustice inCp.sa 22/70of31March 1971 "This
procedure should provide forthejoint deposit oftheinstruments of
ratification oraccession oftheMember States acting together inthe
interest andonbehalf oftheCommunity ,,TheCommunity nature ofthis
concerted action would besanctioned bythedeposit oftheinstruments of
theMember States byasingle authorised representative ,namely arepre­
sentative oftheMember State holding thepresidency oftheCouncil .

TheFrench andGerman Governments ,having already deposited their
instruments ofaccession totheAgreement should ,inorder that their
accession may "beidentified with theCommunity action ,send aletter to
theSecretariat-General oftheUnited Xations stating that they acceded
inthename andonbehalf oftheCommunity .

Proposalfora
..CouncilDecision
;concerning "theentry into foroe oftheAgreement ontheinternational
•carriage ofperishable foodstuffs andonthespecial equipment tobe
1used forsuch carriage (ATP)
THECOUNCILOPTHEEUROPEANCOMMITXES, ,
Having regard totheTreaty establishing theEuropean Economic Conmronity ,
andinparticular Article 43}75 H3thereof ,
,Having regard totheproposal from theCommission ,
■Having regard totheOpinion oftheEuropean Parliament ,
.Having regard totheOpinion oftheEconomic andSocial Committee ,
Whereas theAgreement onthe international carriage ofperishable food­
stuffs andonthespecial equipment tobeused forsuch carriage (ATP)
of1September 1970 wasopen tosignature until 31March 1971 and .there­
after toaocession bytheMember States oftheEconomic Commission for
Europe andbytheStates admitted totheCommission inanadvisory capacity ,
andwhereas theAgreement will enter into force on21November 1976 ;
Whereas -theentry into force of .theATPwill improve
theconditions forpreserving thequality ofperishable foodstuffs
during carriage ,andinparticular inthecourse oftrade between the
Community andthird countries ,andwhereas ,furthermore ,suchimproved
conditionsarelikelytoincreasethetradeinperishablefoodstuffs
betweentheCommunityandthirdcountries;
Whereas theentr „into force oftheATPAgreement istheonly means of
introducing inasmany European countries aspossible ,uniform regulations
ontheinternational carriageofperishablefoodstuffs;
Whereas thefield covered bytheATPfalls within thescope ofCommunity
legislation onthehealth andhygiene conditions forintra-Commuriity
transport operations andtheimport ofmeat from third countries "1",and
also within thescope ofthecommon policies ontrade ,agriculture and
transport ,andwhereas ,inconsequence ,itlies inthepower ofthe
Community toconclude this Agreement .*
Directive No64/433/SECof26,6.1964 -C.7No121,29.7.I964.
Directive No7l/ll8/EECof15.2.1971 -0JNoL55,3.3.1971 .
Directive No72/462/EECof12.12.1972 -0JNoL302 ,31.12.1972 .
Directive No75/43l/EECof10.7.1975 -QJB'0L192,24.7.1975 .
/•

Khereas ,however ,theATPnegotiations ware completed before theexpiry of
thetransition period and thepresent text oftheagreement dots not
permit theaccession oftheCommunity ;whereas thespecial circumstances
surrounding thenegotiations justify ,bywayofexception ,ajoint deposit
oftheir instruments ofratification oraccession bytheMember States
oftheCommunity ,acting together intheinterest andonbehalf ofthe
Community andinanticipation ofsubsequent accession bytheCommunity ,
HAS ADOPTED Tiffi !FOLLOWING DECISION :
Article 1
1. Member States shall ratify oraccede totheAgreement onthe
international carriage ofperishable foodstuffs andonthespecial
equipment to "betiaed forsuch carriage (ATP)before 2X.Jio>vember 1976
2.They shall dispatch their instruments ofratification oraccession
totheSecretariat oftheCouncil immediately after completion ofthe
ratification oraccession procedure .
3.The instruments ofratification oraccession oftheMember States
shall bedeposited jointly with theSecretariat General ofthe
United Nations Organization bytherepresentative oftheMember
State holding thepresidency oftheCouncil ,who shall .act on
behalf oftheCommunity ,atadate asclose aspossible to2XJitwjber 1976
Article 2
This Decision isaddressed tothe Member States .
Done atBrussels ,
For the Council
The President