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 Czech Republic, of the other part, which entered into force on 1 February 1995, extending the double-checking system for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2000, concerning the export of certain steel products from the Czech Republic to the Community
Date: 2000-01-07
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Association Council (EU), Czechoslovakia, agreement (EU), export monitoring, iron and steel product

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 07.01.2000
COM(1999) 739 final

2000/0008 (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 Czech Republic, of the other part, which entered into
force on 1 February 1995, extending the double-checking system for the period from 1
January to 31 December 2000, concerning the export of certain steel products from the
Czech Republic to the Community

(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-Czech 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 1998 in respect of certain ECSC and EC steel products by means of
Decision N° 3/972 of the Association Council. By Decision N° 7/983 of the Association
Council the system was extended, with amended product coverage, for the period between 1
January and 31 December 1999. Council Regulation (EC) N° 87/984, amended by Council
Regulation (EC) N° 248/995, established the corresponding implementing legislation for the
Community.

At its meeting on 16 September 1999, the Contact Group agreed to recommend that the
Association Council should extend the double-checking system for the period between 1
January and 31 December 2000.

The attached proposal consequently seeks to extend Decision N° 3/97 of the Association
Council, amended by Decision N° 7/98 of the Association Council, for the period between 1
January and 31 December 2000.

1

2

3

4

5

OJ N° L 360, 31.12.94, p. 2.
OJ N° L 13, 19.01.98, p. 99.
OJ N° L 29, 03.02.99, p. 26.
OJ N° L 13, 19.01.98, p. 43.
OJ N° L 29, 03.02.99, p. 1.

2

2000/0008 (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 Czech Republic, of the other part, which entered into
force on 1 February 1995, extending the double-checking system for the period from 1
January to 31 December 2000, concerning the export of certain steel products from the
Czech Republic to the Community

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article
Article 133 thereof,

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 Czech Republic, of the other part, and in particular
Article 2(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

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
Czech Republic of the other part, which entered into force on 1 February 19951, met
on 16 September 1999 to discuss trends in imports of ECSC and EC products from the
Czech 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;.

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 1998 by Decision N° 3/972 of the Association Council, amended for the
period between 1 January and 31 December 1999 by Decision 7/983 of the Association
Council, should be extended for the period between 1 January and 31 December 2000;

(3)

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

1

2

3

OJ N° L 360, 31.12.94, p. 2.
OJ N° L 13, 19.01.98, p. 99.
OJ N° L 29, 03.02.99, p. 26.

3

(4)

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 extension 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 for the period between 1 January and 31
December 2000,

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 Czech Republic, of the other part, concerning the export of certain steel products
from the Czech Republic to the European Communities, and in particular the extension 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
The President

4

Decision N° ......./99 of the Association Council,

established under the Europe Agreement,
between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the
Czech Republic, of the other part

of .................... 1999

extending the double-checking system established by Decision N° 3/97 of the Association
Council for the period 1 January to 31 December 2000

(99/...../EC)

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 Czech Republic, of the other part, which entered into force on 1 February
19951, met on 16 September 1999 and agreed to recommend to the Association Council
established under Article 104 of the Agreement that the double-checking system introduced in
1998 by Decision N° 3/972 of the Association Council and amended by Decision N° 7/983 of
the Association Council for the period between 1 January and 31 December 1999 should be
extended for the period between 1 January and 31 December 2000;

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 Decision N° 3/97 of the Association Council and
amended by Decision N° 7/98 of the Association Council for the period between 1 January
and 31 December 1999 shall continue to apply for the period between 1 January and 31
December 2000. In the Preamble and Article 1 (1) and (3) of Decision N° 3/97, references to
the period 1 January to 31 December 1999 are hereby replaced by references to 1 January to
31 December 2000.

1

2

3

OJ N° L 360, 31.12.94, p. 2.
OJ N° L 13, 19.01.98, p. 99.
OJ N° L 29, 03.02.99, p. 26.

5

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Article 2

It shall apply with effect from 1 January 2000.

Done at Brussels,

For the Association Council
The President

6