IN THE AFFIRMATIVE .
14 IT IS TRUE THAT BY VIRTUE OF ARTICLE 7 ( 1 ) OF REGULATION NO 542/69 , THE COMMUNITY TRANSIT PROCEDURE IS NOT TO APPLY TO THE CARRIAGE OF GOODS BY RAIL UNDER THE PROCEDURE LAID DOWN IN THE TIF CONVENTION , PROVIDED THAT THE OPERATION BEGINS OR IS TO END OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY . AS REGARDS THE APPLICATION OF THE AGREEMENT , THE TERM ' ' COMMUNITY ' ' IN THAT ARTICLE REFERS EXCLUSIVELY TO THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY ( ARTICLE 2 ( 2 ) OF THE AGREEMENT ). HOWEVER , BY VIRTUE OF ARTICLE 1 OF THE AGREEMENT , THE RULES ON COMMUNITY TRANSIT ARE TO APPLY TO THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS BETWEEN TWO POINTS SITUATED IN THE COMMUNITY VIA THE TERRITORY OF THE SWISS CONFEDERATION , WHETHER THE GOODS ARE CONSIGNED DIRECT , WITH OR WITHOUT TRANSHIPMENT IN SWITZERLAND , OR ARE RE-CONSIGNED FROM SWITZERLAND , WHERE APPROPRIATE AFTER STORAGE IN A CUSTOMS WAREHOUSE . ARTICLE 5 OF THE AGREEMENT LAYS DOWN THE CONDITIONS FOR THE ISSUE OF T2 OR T2L DOCUMENTS FOR GOODS WHICH ARE RE-CONSIGNED FROM SWITZERLAND AFTER STORAGE IN A CUSTOMS WAREHOUSE .
15 IT MUST THEREFORE BE STATED IN REPLY TO THE FIRST QUESTION THAT WHERE GOODS ARE SENT FROM BELGIUM TO A SPECIFIED CONSIGNEE IN THE FREE PORT OF LA PRAILLE , GENEVA ( SWITZERLAND ), AND ARE RE-CONSIGNED BY THAT PERSON THROUGH THE CUSTOMS OFFICE OF THAT FREE PORT TO ANOTHER PERSON IN ITALY , THE OPERATION MUST BE REGARDED AS CONSTITUTING COMMUNITY TRANSIT .
THE SECOND QUESTION , CONCERNING THE ISSUE OF T2 CONSIGNMENT NOTES
16 THE SECOND QUESTION IS INTENDED TO DETERMINE WHETHER , AND IF SO IN WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES , THE SWISS CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES MAY ISSUE CIM INTERNATIONAL CONSIGNMENT NOTES BEARING THE SYMBOL T2 TO INDICATE INTERNAL COMMUNITY TRANSIT . IN THAT CONNECTION , IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT , BY VIRTUE OF ARTICLE 6 OF THE AGREEMENT , THE COMPETENT SWISS CUSTOMS OFFICES ARE EMPOWERED TO ASSUME INTER ALIA THE FUNCTIONS OF OFFICES OF DEPARTURE , OFFICES OF TRANSIT , OFFICES OF DESTINATION AND OFFICES OF GUARANTEE . SUBJECT TO CERTAIN PROVISIONS SPECIFIED IN THE AGREEMENT , THE ISSUE OF T2 DOCUMENTS BY A SWISS OFFICE OF DEPARTURE IS SUBJECT TO THE PRESENTATION OF T2 DOCUMENTS DRAWN UP IN A MEMBER STATE . THE COMPETENT OFFICES OF DEPARTURE IN THE MEMBER STATES ARE EMPOWERED TO ISSUE T1 OR T2 DOCUMENTS WHICH ARE VALID FOR A SWISS OFFICE OF DESTINATION .
17 IT FOLLOWS THAT WHERE GOODS ACCOMPANIED BY T2 DOCUMENTS DRAWN UP IN A MEMBER STATE ARE RE-CONSIGNED IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 5 OF THE AGREEMENT THE SWISS OFFICE OF DEPARTURE IS EMPOWERED TO ISSUE T2 DOCUMENTS FOR A DESTINATION IN A MEMBER STATE . AS THE COMMISSION POINTS OUT IN ITS WRITTEN OBSERVATIONS , IT IS APPARENT FROM THE CONTEXT OF ARTICLE 7 OF REGULATION NO 304/71 THAT AN INTERNATIONAL CONSIGNMENT NOTE ISSUED IN A MEMBER STATE HAS