1999/415/ECSC: Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 17 June 1999 authorising the Commission to terminate the Agreement of 28 July 1956 on the setting of through international railway tariffs for the carriage of coal and steel in transit through Swiss territory
Date: 1999-06-17
Institutions: Representatives of the Governments of the Member States
Subjects: ECSC, European Commission, Switzerland, rail transport, transit, withdrawal from an agreement

L 159/52

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 6. 1999

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

CONFERENCE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE MEMBER STATES

DECISION OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE
MEMBER STATES, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL

of 17 June 1999

authorising the Commission to terminate the Agreement of 28 July 1956 on the
setting of through international railway tariffs for the carriage of coal and steel
in transit through Swiss territory

(1999/415/ECSC)

THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE
MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL
COMMUNITY, MEETING WITHIN THE COUNCIL,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Coal and Steel Community, and in particular Article 70
thereof, and to the Convention on the transitional provi-
sions, and in particular Article 10, second and third para-
graphs, point 2 thereof,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Coal and Steel Community, and in particular Article 14
thereof,

Having regard to the Agreement of 28 July 1956 on the
setting of
through international railway tariffs for the
carriage of coal and steel in transit through Swiss terri-
tory (1), and in particular Article 11 thereof,

(1) Whereas maintaining the Agreement no longer
seems economically justified, given that the ECSC
9001 tariffs have been almost entirely replaced by
customised contracts between clients and carriers;
whereas rail transport rates are based on the rates
dictated by other modes of transport, in particular
road transport; whereas rail transport market forces
and intermodal competition have removed the
economic justification for the Agreement; whereas
it should also be recalled that Swiss rail operators
are not required to apply the ECSC 9001 tariff for
transit transport;

(1) OJ 17, 29.5.1957, p. 223.

(2) Whereas termination of

the Agreement by the
ECSC Member States would have no economic
consequences
since the Swiss
railway companies do not apply the ECSC 9001
tariff for the transport of ECSC products in transit,

for Switzerland,

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Commission, acting for the ECSC High Authority, is
hereby authorised to terminate the Agreement of 28 July
1956 on the setting of through international railway tariffs
for the carriage of coal and steel in transit through Swiss
territory, and to inform the Member States, meeting
within the Council, of this termination, on behalf of the
representatives of the Governments of the ECSC Member
States.

Article 2

This Decision shall enter into force on the day following
its adoption.

Done at Luxembourg, 17 June 1999.

The President

F. M(cid:154)NTEFERING