ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(74)74
Vol.1974/0014

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COMMISSION OFTES5UEOÎ2AN COMMUM21ES
COM(74)74final
Brussels.23January1974
DRAFT
DECISION
oftheRepresentatives oftheGovernments oftheMemberStates,
meetingintheCouncil,concerningtherulesfortheimportationofironandsteel
productscoveredbytheECSCTreaty,includingpigironandhigh–carbon
ferromanganese ,originatinginState–trading countries
(submittedtotheCouncilbytheCommission)
COM(74)74final

COMMUNICATION PROM THE COMMISSION TOTHE REPRESENTATIVES
OPGOVERNMENTS MEETING INTHE COUNCIL ,
Subject :Future import arrangements foriron andsteel products
covered bytheECSC Treaty coming from State-trading countries ..
1. TheECSC Group hadagreed ,during itsdiscussion inlate 1972 -
early 1973 »tosetupinduetime acommon import system from 1975
onwards (Doc .1/54/73(COMER 19)of19March 1973 ).
Ithashowever not proved possible ,during 1973 >"todraw upsuch
asystem owing tothefact that noagreement could bereached ona
"hard core "ofsensitive products which should have been kept under
quantitative restrictions .Faced with this situation theFrench govern­
ment hasconsidered itnecessary toliberalize asfrom theendof1973
some products which inother Member States andtheCommission 's
opinion should remain assensitive products ,apart ofacommon
"hard -core ".TheCommission believes that itwould have been possible ,
attheoutcome ofathorough discussion ,toreach acommon import system
including avery limited "hard core ".
2. Asithasnotbeen possible toreach such anagreement ,it
seems nolonger possible tosetupfortheenlarged Community aunified
import system involving acommon "hard core "ofsensitive products
subject toquantitative restrictions inallMember States . ,Inthe
absence ofsuch import rules determined bycommon accord ,thejurisdiction
incommercial policy that was afforded theMember States under theECSC
Treaty inrespect ofcertain products which until 31December 1973 had .
been subject toaCommunity system ofquantitative restrictions reverts
tothe individual Member States .
•A

-2
InordernottojeopardizetheprincipalobjectivesoftheECSCTreaty,
theCommissionconsidersitabsolutelyindispensable inthesecircumstances
todevisecommonmachineryforcoordination andtosetupcommon '
effectivemachineryforthesurveillance ofimportstogetherwith
anynecessaryprotectivemeasures,withdueconsideration forGATT
requirements .
3.Thiscommoncoordination ,surveillance andprotectionmachinery
intheECSCsphereshouldbemodelledonthatexistingintheEEC
s
field,withdueregardtoinstitutional differences .Inimportant
respects,itcouldinanycaseincorporatetheprotectionmechanism
forjointlyliberalized produotsasprovidedforintheDecisionof
20September1971oftheRepresentatives ofGovernments meetinginthe
Council,whichDecisionisstillbinding.
4.Tljemarketsparticularly affectedbylow-priceimportsfrom
State-trading countriesarethoseofItaly,WestGermanyandtheBenelux
countries.TheCommissionthereforeconsidersthat,onthesemarkets
atleast,theimportationofsensitiveproductsshouldremainsubject
toquantitativerestrictions .Ifthiswerenotthe6ase,itwould
seemimpossibletoreintroducetheprohibitionofalignmentsifand
whenneeded.Furthermore,allMemberStatesshouldinitiateeffective
surveillance oftheimportationoftheseproducts.Theproductsconsidered
bytheCommissiontobesensitivearelistedinAnnexIIItotheattached
draftDecision.
5.TheCommissionsuggeststhattheRepresentatives ofGovernments
meetingintheCo^ciladopttheattacheddraftDecision.Thedraftis
basedonthefollowingprinciples :
1.Affirmationoftheprincipleoffreedomofimportationintothe
Community.

3-
2.Affirmation ofind.ivid.vial MemberStates'entitlement toretain
ruleswhichdepartfromsuchfreedomofimportation.
3.Effectivecoordination ofnationalmeasures.
4.Acommonsurveillance systemandtheapplicationthereofto
sensitiveproducts.
5.Acommonsystemofprotection.

DRAPT
DECISION
of
oftheRepresentatives oftheGovernments oftheMember
States ,meeting intheCouncil ,concerning therules for
theimportation ofiron and .steel products covered by-the
ECSC Treaty ,including pigiron andhigh-carbon ferromanganese ,
originating inState-trading countries .
THEREPRESENTATIVES OPTHEGOVERNMENTS OPTHEMEMBER STATES ,MEETING IN
THECOUNCIL ,
inagreement with theCommission ,
HAVE DECIDED ASFOLLOWS : .
TITLE I
* '
General principles
Artide 1
1.Without prejudice totheprovisions oftheECSC Treaty ,this Decision .
isapplicable totheimportation into theCommunity ofalliron andsteel
products covered bytheECSC Treaty ,including pigiron andhigh-carbon
ferromanganese ,originating inanyofthethird countries mentioned -
inAnnex I.

2
2.TheimportationintotheCommunityoftheproductslisted,inAnnexII
shallbefree,thatistosaynotsubjecttoquantitativerestrictions
saveforthoseappliedinaccordancewiththeprovisionsofthis
Decision.
3.TheRepresentatives oftheMemberStates,meetingintheCouncil,
may,inagreementwiththeCommission,decidetoextendtheAnnexto
includeotherimportswherethisisnotlikelytocreateasituation
inwhichtheapplicationofprotectivemeasureswithinthemeaningof
TitleIVwouldbejustified.
TITLEII
JOINTCONSULTATION PROCEDURE
Article2
1.IfaMemberStatecontemplates alteringitsimportarrangements ,as
inforceon1January1974»inrespectofanyorallofthethird
countriesmentionedinAnnexI,orofanyoftheproductsmentionedin
AnnexII,itshallsonotifytheCommissionandtheotherMemberStates.
2.AttherequestoftheConjmissionorofaMemberState,themeasures
referredtoinParagraph1shallbethesubjectofpriorconsultation
withtheotherMemberStatesandwiththeCommission .
3.Theaimofthisconsultation shallbetoestablishsuchcoordination
ofthearrangements ofthevariousMemberStatesaswillenablethe
properfunctioningofthecommonmarkettobemaintained.

-3-
4.IfaMemberStateortheCommissionconsidersthatthemeasure
contemplated bytheMemberStateinquestionwouldprejudicethefunda­
mentalinterestsoftheCommunityorofanyofitsMemberStates,
theconsultation shallincludeanexamination oftheeconomicandcommer­
cialsituationasregardstheproductsconcerned.
5.Theconsultation shalltakeplacewithinagroupcomposedofrepresen­
tativespfeachMemberStateandoftheCommissionandpresidedover
bytheMemberStateholdingtheofficeofPresidentoftheCouncil.
Article3
1.If,withinfiveworkingdaysafterthenotification providedforin
\
Article2,paragraph 1,theCommissionhasnotcalledforconsultation
andhasnotreceivedarequestforconsultation fromanyotherMember
States,itshallsoinformtheMemberStateconcerned,whichmaythen
introducethecontemplated measure.
2.Otherwise,theaforesaidconsultationshallbeginwithinfiveworking
daysaftertheexpiryoftheperiodprovidedforabove.
Article4
1.Ifattheendoftheconsultation noobjectionhasbeenraisedby
theotherMemberStatesorbytheCommission,thelattershallnotify
theMemberStateconcerned,whichmayintroducethemeasureforthwith.
2.Otherwise,theMemberStateconcernedshalldeferintroduction ofthe
contemplated measureforaperiodofthreeweeksaftertheopening
oftheconsultation .
/

-4
3.Iffwithinthisthree-weekperiod,theCommissionnotifiesthe
MemberStateconcernedthatitintendstotakeortoproposeoneof
themeasuresprovidedforinArticles71to75of"theECSCTreaty,
thecontemplated measureshallnotbeintroducedbeforethemeasures
providedforintheseArticleshavebeentaken.
Article5
1.Awithdrawalofliberalization ortheabolitionorreductionofa
quotamay,inanemergency,beputintoforcewithoutpriorconsultation .
2.If,afteraquotahasbeenexhausted,theeconomicrequirements of
aMemberStatenecessitateadditionalimportsoriginatinginthecountry
orcountriesbenefitingfromthequota,theMemberStatemay,inan
emergency,makeprovision,withoutpriornotification ,foradditional
importswhichshallnotinanyyearexceed10$ofthevolumeofthe
annualquotaexhausted.
3.OnrequestofanyMemberStateoroftheCommission,suchmeasures
havebeentakenincompliancewiththisArticlewillbesubjecttoa
laterconsultation forre-assessment undertheconditionslaidoutin
Article2,
•TITL3III
IMTORKATION ANDSURVEILLANCE FROCSDUÏÏSS
Article6
1.ToenabletheCommissiontoassesstheeconomicandcommercial
situationinrespectofaproduct,theMemberStatesshall,ifsorequired
andinaccordancewiththeproceduresdeterminedbytheCommission,supply
thelatterwithinformation onthedevelopmentofthemarketforthat
product.

2.Forthis purpose ,theCommission may ,mparticular ,require that
certain imports bemade subject tostatistical surveillance inconformity
with thenational regulations relating toexternal trade andinaccordance
with theprocedures which itprescribes .
• v
Article 7
1.AMember State shall notify theCommission :
a)ifthetrend ofimports oranexceptional development onthemarket
islikely tonecessitate recourse toprotective measures ;
b)if,according toitsnormal administrative procedures andinthe
light ofpast Experience ,itascertains that acertain product
mayhave tobeimported inmarkedly increased quantities on
exceptional terms .
2.TheCommission shall forthwith notify theother Member States
accordingly .
Article 8
1«Consultations maybeopened atanytime ,either attherequest of
aMember State orontheinitiative oftheCommission .They must take
place within eight working days after receipt bytheCommission ofthe
notification referred toinArticle 7» i-nanycase before theintro­
duction ofanyprior-surveillance -orprotective measure .
2.Theconsultations shall take place within theCommittee provided for
inArticle 2,paragr aph5»They shall relate ,inparticular ,to :
a)theimportation oftheproducts referred toandthemarket situation ,
including foreseeable trends }
b)themeasures ,ifany,tobeadopted . /

Artide 9
1.Where theinterests oftheCommunity sorequire andnotwithstanding
theprovisions ofArticle 1,paragraph 3f "theCommission may ,either
onitsowninitiative orattherequest ofaMember State ,subject the
importation ofacertain product toprior surveillance ifthedevelop­
ment ofthemarket forthat product islikely toharm theinterests of
Community producers .
Article 10
1.Products under surveillance mayonly beputinto free circulation
onproduction ofanimport document .This document shall beissued or
endorsed free ofcharge ,andbytheMember States which have liberalized
theimportation oftheproducts inquestion ,forallthequantities
requested ,notlater than five working days after submission ofadeclara­
tion oranapplication bytheimporter .Member States which maintain
quantitative restrictions inrespect oftheproduct inquestion as
provided forinArticle 1,paragraph 3»shall issue licences under
quotas opened andinaccordance with their national regulations .
v
Article 11
1.Within thefirst tendays ofeach month ,Member States shall cmmmuni -
cate tothe Commission :
a)particulars ofthequantities ofproducts andthesums ofmoney
involved ,ascalculated from thec.i.f .prices ,forwhich import
documents were issued during thepreceding month ;
b)particulars ofimports during theperiod preceding that referred to
insubparagraph a)above .
Communicatiorfe ofMember States will include distribution byproduct and
byexporting country .

- 7 -
2.Where thenature oftheproducts oraparticular situation sorequires ,
theCommission may ,attherequest oftheMember State oronitsown
initiative ,change theintervals atwhich theinformation istobe
provided .
3.Inthat event ,theCommission shall soinform theMember States .
Article 12
Theproducts listed inAnnex IIIoriginating inthethird countries
listed inAnnex Ishall besubject tothesurveillance procedure defined
inArticles 9 "to
TITIL3 IV
FROTECTIVE M5A5U3ES
Article 13
1.Protective measures maybedecided onwhere serious disturbances arise
orarelikely toarise intheCommunity iron andsteel market orina
substantial part thereof .
2.IftheCommission oraMember State considers that animmediate pre­
cautionary measure isnecessary inthe .interests oftheCommunity ,the
former shall ,either attherequest oftheMember State concerned oron
itsowninitiative ,propose that theMember States amend bycommon accord
theimportation arrangements fortheproducts inquestion bymaking the
importation thereof subject toproduction ofanimport authorization ,the
granting ofwhich shall beinaccordance with theprocedures andsubject to
thelimits which itconsiders necessary pending theadoption ofdefinitive
measures . 1
. ■ •/•

-8
l
'\
3.Member States shall undertake tostudy theprecautionary measures
andtotake adecision within fourteen days after theCommission 's
proposal .These measures maynotremain inforce formore than two
months .
4.Where necessary ,theCommission shall propose totheMember States '
theappropriate measures tobetaken bycommon accord before theexpiry
ofthetwo-month period referred toinparagraph 3above .
5»Themeasures maybelimited toimports intended forcertain regions
oftheCommunity ,provided that this limitation does notjeopardize the
proper functioning ofthecommon market .They shall notaffect products
already ontheir waytotheCommunity ,provided that thedestination of
such products cannot bechanged andthat products which ,pursuant to
Articles 9 "t°12,mayonly beputinto free circulation onproduction of
animport document ,areaccompanied bysuch adocument .
Article 14
r ••\\ v
1.During theperiod ofapplication ofthemeasures taken pursuant to
theprovisions offoregoing Article ,consultations shall beheld within
thegroup provided forinArticle 2,paragraph 5»at "th®request ofa
Member State oronthe initiative ofthe Commission inorder ;
a)tostudy theeffects ofthemeasures ;
b)todetermine whether theconditions fortheir application are
still fulfilled .
2.TheMember States ,acting "onaproposal from theCommission oratthe
request ofaMember State ,shall decide bycommon accord torepeal orto
modify themeasures taken pursuant toArticle 13when theconditions which
ledtothose measures have ceased toprevail andthere isnodanger of
their recurrence intheshort term .Inanydecision torepeal ,account
shall betaken oftheneed toensure theproper functioning ofthecommon
market . »/*

TITUSV
FINALPROVISIONS
Article15
EachMemberStateshalltakeallnecessarymeasuresfortheimplementation
ofthisdecision.
Article16
Thedecisionofthe20September1971»takenbytheRepresentatives of
theGovernments oftheMemberStatesmeetingwithintheCouncil,relating
tocertainmeasuresapplicabletoState-trading countriesorterritories
asregardstradeinironandsteelproductscoveredbytheECSCTreaty,
includingpigironandhigh-carbon ferro-manganese ,isherebyrevoked.
DoneatBrussels. ThePrésident,

ANKEXI
1.Albania
(*)2.GermanDémocratieRepublic x'
3.Bulgaria
4.People'sRepublicofChina
5.Hungary
6.Poland.
7.Ruraania
8.Czechoslovakia
9.UnionofSovietSocialistRepublics
)-notasfarastheGermanFederalRepublicisconcerned.

ANNEXII
73.05B
73.06
73.07AI
73.07BI
73.09 .
73.10AIII
73.10DIa)
ex73.13AI
73.13BIII
ex73.13BIVc)
73.13BIVd)
73.15Alb)
73.15AIV
73.15AVd)1.aa)
73.15AVIc)1.aa)
73.15AVIIc)
73.15BIb)Spongeîronorsteel
Puddled "barsandpilings;ingotsblocks,
lumpsandsimilarforms,ofironorsteel
Bloomsandbillets,rolled
Slabsandsheetbars(includingtinplatebars),
rolled
Universaiplatesofxronorsteel
Hollowminingdrillsteel
Barsandrods,ofironorsteel,clador
surface-worked ,hot-rolledorextruded
"Electrical"sheetsandplates,grain-oriented ,
withawatt-loss,regardlessofthickness,
of0.75wattorless
Sheetsandplates,otherthan"electrical",
notfurtherworkedthanburnished,polished
orglazed
Sheetsandplates,otherthan"electrical",
lead-coated .
Sheetsandplates,otherthan"electrioal",
copper-plated ,artificially oxidisedetc..
Ingots,blooms,billets,slabsandsheet
bars,otherthanforged,ofhighcarbon
steel
Umversalplatesofhighcarbonsteel
Barsandrods,notfurtherworkedthanclad,
hot-rolledorextruded,ofhighcarbonsteel
Hoopandstrip,notfurtherworkedthanclad,
hot-rolled,ofhighcarbonsteel
Sheetsandplates,polished,cladetc..of
high-carbonsteel
Ingots,blooms,billets,slabsandsheetbars,
otherthanforged,ofalloysteel
./■

AHEEX II(cont'd )
73.15 BIV
73.15 BVd)1.aa)
73.15 BVIc)l.aa )
73.15 BVIIb)3
73.16 AII
73.16 B
73.16 C
73.16 "D1Universal plates ofalloy steel
Bars androds ,notfurther worked than clad ,
hot-rolled orextruded ,ofalloy steel
Hoop andstrip ,notfurther worked than clad ,
hot-rolled ,ofalloy steel
Sheets andplates ,other than 'electrical ^
polished ,clad ,etc.,ofalloy steel
Rails ,other than current-conducting
Check-rails
Sleepers
Fish-plates andsole plates ,rolled .

ANrlESIII
ex73-01 Pxgiron
73.08 )
73.15AIII) Coilsforre-rolling
73.15BIII)
73.10AII)
ex73.15AVb2) Bars
ex73.15Bïb2)
73.11AI Angles,shapesandsectionsnot
furtherworkedthanhot-rolled or
extruded
73.12A
73.15AVIa) Hoopandstrip,notfurtherworked
73.15BVIa) thanhot-rolled .
73.13BI
73.15AVIIa) Othersheetsandplates,notfurther
73.15BVIIb) workedthanhot-rolled
73.13BII )
73«15AVIIb2)Othersheetsandplates,notfurther
73.15BVIIb2bb)workedthancold-rolled,ofathick­
)nessoflessthan3m.m.