Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION on the position to be taken by the Community within the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Slovak Republic, of the other part, which entered into force on 1 February 1995, concerning the export of certain steel products from the Slovak Republic to the European Communities
Date: 1996-11-05
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Slovakia, association agreement (EU), export licence, import policy, iron and steel product

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 05.11.1996 
COM(96) 550  final 

96/0264  (ACC) 
96/0265  (ACC) 

Proposal  for  a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

on the position to be taken by the Community within the Association Council 
established by the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and 
their Member States, of the one part, and the Slovak Republic, of the other part, 
which entered into force on  1 February 1995, concerning the export of certain steel 
products from the Slovak Republic to the European Communities 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) 

concerning the export of certain ECSC and EC steel products from  the Slovak Republic 
to ihe European Communities for the period  1  January to 31 December  1997 (extension 
of  the double-checking system) 

(presented  by the  Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

The aim of the double-checking system is to improve transparency and to avoid possible 
diversions  of  trade.  It  is  founded  on  the  provision  in  the  EC-Slovak  Republic  Europe 
Agreement1 which allows either Party to introduce an administrative procedure having as 
its  purpose  the  rapid provision  of  information  on the trend of  trade flows. The  Parties 
agreed  to  establish  such  a  system  in  1996  in  respect  of  certain  ECSC  and  EC  steel 
products by means of Association Council Decision N° 2/952. Council Regulation (EC) 
N° 3054/953 established the corresponding implementing legislation for the Community. 

At  its  meeting  on  7  October  1996,  the  Contact  Group  agreed  to  recommend  that the 
Association  Council  should  extend  the  double-checking  system,  with  certain 
amendments, for the period between 1  January and 31 December 1997. 

The  attached  proposals  consequently  seek  to  extend  Association  Council  Decision  N° 
2/95  and Council Regulation (EC) N°  3054/95, with certain amendments, for the period 
between 1  January and 31 December 1997. 

In view of the time which these procedures could take, the Contact Group also agreed, if 
necessary,  to  extend  the  double-checking  system  on  a  temporary  basis  by  means  of 
autonomous measures, pending the entry into force of the Association Council  Decision 
and of the implementing legislation. 

1 OJN°L  359, 31.12.94, p. 2. 
2 OJN°L  325, 30.12.95, p. 65. 
3 OJN°L  325, 30.12.95, p. 1. 

Proposal for a Council Decision 

3  G J O 2.fe Lf  I  A CC 

\ 

on the position to be taken by the Community within the Association Council established 
by the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, 
of the one part, and the Slovak Republic, of the other part, which entered into force on  1 
February 1995, concerning the export of certain steel products from the Slovak Republic 
to the European Communities 

The Council of the European Union, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular 
Article 113 together with Article 228, para 2, first sentence, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Having regard to the Decision of the Council and the Commission of 19 December 1994 
on the conclusion of the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and 
their Member States, of the one part, and the Slovak Republic, of the other part, and in 
particular Article 2(1) thereof, 

Whereas the Contact Group referred to in Article  10 of Protocol 2 of the Europe 
Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States of the one part 
and the Slovak Republic of the other part, which entered into force on  1  February  Î9951, 
met on 7 October  1996 to discuss trends in imports of ECSC and EC products from the 
Slovak Republic into the Community and recognised the need to find  appropriate 
solutions in the framework  of Article 34.2 of the Agreement in order to ensure that the 
attainment of the objectives of the Agreement will not be jeopardised; 

Whereas the Contact Group therefore agreed to recommend to the Association Council 
established under Article 104 of the Agreement that the double-checking system 
introduced in  1996 by Association Council Decision N° 2/952 should be renewed for the 
period betiveen  I January and 31 December 1997; 

Whereas the Parties are desirous to promote the orderly and equitable development of 
trade in steel between the Community and the Slovak Republic; 

Whereas the Association Council, having been supplied with all relevant information,  has 
determined that the solution acceptable to the two parties which least disturbs the 
functioning  of the Agreement is the renewal of the double-checking system, without 
quantitative limits, for the import into the Community of certain steel products covered 
by the ECSC and EC Treaties between  1  January and 31 December 1997, 

' O JL  359, 31.12.94, p. 1 
2 O JL  325, 30.12.95, p.65 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 

The position to be taken by the Community within the Association Council established 
by the Europe Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, 
of the one part, and the Slovak Republic, of the other part, concerning the export of 
certain steel products from the Slovak Republic to the European Communities, and in 
particular the renewal of the double-checking system, shall be based on the draft decision 
of the Association Council annexed to this Decision. 

Done at Brussels 

For the Council 

Decision N° .....>./96 of the Association Council, 

association between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, 

and the Slovak Republic, of the other part 

of 

1996 

concerning the export of certain ECSC and EC steel products from the Slovak Republic 
to the European Communities for the period 1  January to 31 December 1997 (extension 
of  the double-checking system established by Decision N° 2/95 of the Association 
Council) 

(96/ 

/ECSC) 

THE ASSOCIATION COUNCIL 

Whereas  the  Contact  Group  referred  to  in  Article  10  of  Protocol  2  of  the  Europe 
Agreement  establishing  an  association  between  the  European  Communities  and  their 
Member States, of the one part, and the Slovak Republic, of the other part, which entered 
into force on  1 February  19951  , met on 7 October  1996 and agreed to recommend to the 
Association  Council  established  under  Article  104  of  the  Agreement  that  the  double-
checking system introduced in 1996 by Association Council Decision N° 2/9S2 should be 
extended  for  the  period  between  1 January  and  31  December  1997  subject  to  certain 
amendments; 

Whereas the Association Council, having been supplied with all relevant information, has 
agreed with this recommendation, 

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS : 

Article  1 

The double-checking system established by Association Council Decision N° 2/95 for the 
period  1 January to 31  December  1996 shall continue to apply for the period between 1 
January and  31  December  1997,  subject  to the  amendments  to that Decision  shown in 
Article  2.  In the  Preamble  and Article  1 (1)  and (3)  of  the  Decision,  references  to the 
period 1  January to 31 December  1996 are hereby replaced by the words "1 January to 31 
December 1997". Article  1  (4) shall be deleted. 

1 OJN°L  359, 31.12.94, p. 2. 
2O J N ° L 3 2 5,  30.12.95, p. 65. 

Article 2 

1.  In Article  2  of  the  Decision,  the first sentence  of  paragraph 2  shall  be amended to 

read as follows: 

"The Community  undertakes to supply the Slovak authorities with precise statistical 
information  on import documents  issued by Member States in respect of the export 
documents issued by the Slovak authorities pursuant to Article 1." 

2.  Annex I shall be replaced by the text contained in the Annex to this Decision. 

3.  In Annex III, the following change shall be made: delete "Export Licence" and insert 

"Export Document". 

4.  In Annex IV, paragraph 3 shall be deleted. 

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of signature. 

Article 3 

It shall apply with effect from 1  January 1997. 

Done at 

For the Association Council 

The President 

ANNEX 

ANNEXI 

SLOVAK REPUBLIC 

List of products subject to double-checking (1997) 

7211 19 20 
72U 19 90 

7212 60 91 

72201100 
7220 12 00 
7220 90 31 

7226 19 10 
7226 20 20 
7226 91 10 
7226 91 90 
7226 93 20 
7226 94 20 
7226 99 20 

Cold-rolled  strip  and  hoop 

721123 10 
721123 51 
721123 99 
721129 20 
72119019 
7211 90 90 

7226 92 90 
7226 93 80 
7226 94 80 
7226 99 80 

Hot  dip  galvanized  sheets,  coils  and  strip 

7210 11 90 
7210 41 90 
7210 61 10 

7212 30 90 

721041 10 
7210 49 10 
7210 49 90 

Tinplate  in  coils,  sheet  and  strip 

7210  12  11 
7210 70  31 
7210  70  39 

7212  10 99 

7210 11 10 

NOM  oriented  grain 
electrotechnics 

steel 

sheets, 

coils  and 

strip 

for 

7209 17 10 
7209 27 10 

721123 91 

Hot-railed  coils  and  pickled  coils 

72081000 
720825 00 
7208 26 00 
7208 2700 
7208 36 00 
7208 37 10 
7208 3790 
7208 38 10 
7208 38 90 
7208 39 10 
7208 39 90 

72191100 
72191210 
7219 12 90  . 
72191310 
7219 14 10 
7219 14 90 

72251910 
7225 20 20 
7225 30 00 

Cut  lenghts 

7208 4010 
7208 40 90 
7208 51 10 
7208 5199 
7208 52 10 
7208 52 99 
7208 53 10 
7208 53 90 
7208 54 10 
7208 54 90 
7208 90 10 
7208 90 90 

Cold-rolled  sheets  and  coils 

720915  00 
7209  16 90 
720917  90 
720918  91 
720918  99 
7209 25  00 
7209 26  90 
7209 27  90 
7209 28  90 
7209  9 0 10 
7209 90  90 

Hot-rolled  strip  and  hoop 

7211  14  10 
7211  14  90 

PROPOSALFORA 

_  _ i 

_ , -_ 

/  *- 

r  ^\ 

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) N° 

/96 

of 

1996 

concerning the export of certain ECSC and EC steel products from the Slovak Republic 
to the European Communities for the period  1  January to 31 December  1997 (extension 
of  the double-checking system) 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community,  and  in  particular 
Article  113 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 

Whereas  a  Europe  Agreement  establishing  an  association  between  the  European 
Communities  and their Member  States, of,  the one part, and the  Slovak Republic, of the 
other part, entered into force on  1  February  19951; 

Whereas  the  Parties  decided  in  Association  Council  Decision  N°  ..../962  to  extend  the 
double-checking  system  introduced  by  Decision  N°  2/953  for  the  period  between  1 
January and 31 December  1997 subject to certain amendments; 

Whereas it is consequently necessary to extend the Community  implementing  legislation 
introduced by Council Regulation (EC) N° 3054/954, 

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Article 1 

Council  Regulation  (EC)  N°  3054/95  shall  continue  to  apply  for  the  period  between  1 
January  and  31  December  1997,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  Association 
Council  Decision  N°  ..../96  between  the  European  Communities  and  their  Member 
States,  of,  the  one  part,  and  the  Slovak  Republic,  of  the  other  part,  subject  to  the 
amendments to that Regulation shown in Article 2. In the Preamble and Article  1 (1) and 
(3) of the Regulation, references  to the period  1  January to 31 December  1996 are hereby 
replaced by  1  January to 31 December  1997. Article  1  (4) shall be deleted. 

^ J ^L  359, 31.12.94, p. 2. 
2  See page ... of this Official  Journal. 
3O J N ° L 3 2 5,  30.12.95, p. 65. 
4  OJN°L  325, 30.12.95, p. 1. 

Article 2 

1.  Annex III shall be replaced by the text contained in the Annex to this Regulation. 

2.  In Annex IV, the following  change shall be made: delete "Export Licence" and insert 

"Export Document". 

Article 3 

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication  in the Official  Journal 
of the European Communities. 

It shall apply with effect  from  1  January 1997. 

This  Regulation  shall  be  binding  in  its  entirety  and  directly  applicable  in  all  Member 
States. 

Done at 

For the Council 

The President 

ï  ! 

i 

ANNEX 

ANNEX III 

SLOVAK REPUBLIC 

List of products subject to double-checking (1997) 

7211 19 20 
7211 19 90 

7212 60 91 

7220 11 00 
7220 12 00 
7220 90 31 

7226 19 10 
7226 20 20 
7226 91 10 
7226 91 90 
7226 93 20 
7226 94 20 
7226 99 20 

Cold-rolled  strip  and  hoop 

721123 10 
721123 51 
721123 99 
721129 20 
7211 90 19 
7211 90 90 

7226 92 90 
7226 93 80 
7226 94 80 
7226 99 80 

Hot  dip  galvanized  sheets,  coils  and  strip 

7210 11 90 
7210 41 90 
7210 61 10 

7212 30 90 

721041 10 
7210 49 10 
7210 49 90 

Tinplate  in  coils,  sheet  and  strip 

7210 11 10 

grain 

steel 

sheets, 

coils  and 

strip 

for 

7210  12 11 
7210  70 31 
7210  70  39 

721210  99 

NOM  oriented 
electrotechnics 

7209 17 10 
7209 27 10 

7211 23 91 

10 

Hot-rolled  coils  and  pickled  coils 

7208 10 00 
7208 25 00 
7208 26 00 
7208 27 00 
7208 36 00 
7208 37 10 
7208 37 90 
7208 38 10 
7208 38 90 
7208 39 10 
7208 39 90 

72191100 
7219 12 10 
7219 12 90  . 
7219 13 10 
7219 14 10 
7219 14 90 

7225 19 10 
7225 20 20 
7225 30 00 

Cut  lenghts 

7208 4010 
7208 40 90 
7208 51 10 
7208 51 99 
7208 52 10 
7208 52 99 
7208 53 10 
7208 53 90 
7208 54 10 
7208 54 90 
7208 90 10 
7208 90 90 

Cold-rolled  sheets  and  coils 

720915  00 
7209  16  90 
720917  90 
720918  91 
7209  18 99 
7209 25  00 
7209 26  90 
7209 27  90 
7209 28  90 
7209  90  10 
7209 90  90 

Hot-rolled  strip  and  hoop 

7211  1410 
7211  14  90 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(96) 550  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

11  02 

Catalogue number  :  CB-GO-96-554-EN-C 

ISBN 92-78-10796-4 

Office  for Official  Publications of the European Communities 

L-2985 Luxembourg 

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