22 JULY 1948 LAID DOWN THE CONSTITUTION OF TECHNICAL CENTRES FOR INDUSTRY WHOSE MAIN OBJECT WAS TO ENSURE HIGH STANDARDS OF QUALITY IN INDUSTRY , AND A MINISTERIAL DECREE OF 22 APRIL 1949 , ADOPTED PURSUANT TO THAT LAW , SET UP A TECHNICAL CENTRE FOR INDUSTRY - A PUBLIC UTILITY INSTITUTION - CALLED CETEHOR , THE MAIN TASK OF WHICH IS TO CONTROL THE QUALITY OF LEVER-ESCAPEMENT WATCHES AND WATCH MOVEMENTS INTENDED FOR EXPORT . TWO NOTICES TO EXPORTERS FROM THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS , DATED 30 OCTOBER 1962 AND 24 NOVEMBER 1964 , REQUIRE A LICENCE FOR THE EXPORT OF SUCH WATCHES AND WATCH MOVEMENTS EXCEPT FOR ARTICLES ACCOMPANIED BY A STANDARDS CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY CETEHOR , WHICH THEN REPLACES THE EXPORT LICENCE .
3 DURING 1972 THE ACCUSED BOUHELIER AND OTHERS FORGED INSPECTION CERTIFICATES ISSUED BY CETEHOR AND , UNDER COVER OF THOSE FORGED DOCUMENTS , EXPORTED LEVER-ESCAPEMENT WATCHES TO OTHER MEMBER STATES .
4 ACCORDINGLY THE JUDGMENT OF 19 MAY 1976 SUBMITTED TO THE COURT OF JUSTICE A REFERENCE FOR A PRELIMINARY RULING ON THE INTERPRETATION OF ARTICLE 34 OF THE TREATY , AND THE COURT , BY A JUDGMENT OF 3 FEBRUARY 1977 (( 1977 ) ECR 197 ) RULED :
' ' THE EXPRESSION ' QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS ON EXPORTS AND ANY MEASURES HAVING EQUIVALENT EFFECT ' CONTAINED IN ARTICLE 34 OF THE EEC TREATY MUST BE UNDERSTOOD AS APPLYING TO RULES ADOPTED BY A MEMBER STATE WHICH REQUIRE IN RESPECT ONLY OF THE EXPORT OF CERTAIN GOODS EITHER A LICENCE OR A STANDARDS CERTIFICATE WHICH IS ISSUED IN PLACE OF SUCH LICENCE AND MAY BE REFUSED IF THE QUALITY DOES NOT CONFORM TO CERTAIN STANDARDS LAID DOWN BY THE BODY ISSUING THE SAID CERTIFICATE , EVEN IF SUCH CERTIFICATE DOES NOT GIVE RISE TO THE IMPOSITION OF A CHARGE . ' '
5 FOLLOWING THAT JUDGMENT , THE TRIBUNAL CORRECTIONNEL , BESANCON , BY A JUDGMENT OF 29 SEPTEMBER 1978 DISCHARGED THE ACCUSED ON THE COUNTS OF FORGERY AND UTTERING FORGED CERTIFICATES FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPORTS TO MEMBER STATES OF THE EEC , BUT AS THE ACCUSED WERE ALSO CHARGED WITH THE SAME OFFENCES IN RELATION TO EXPORTS OF WATCHES AND WATCH MOVEMENTS TO GREECE , SPAIN AND AUSTRIA - NON-MEMBER COUNTRIES LINKED TO THE COMMUNITY BY AGREEMENTS - THE NATIONAL COURT SUBMITTED THREE QUESTIONS TO THE COURT OF JUSTICE :
' ' 1 . WHETHER ITS INTERPRETATION OF ARTICLES 6 , 28 AND 29 OF THE ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT CONCLUDED ON 9 JULY 1961 BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND GREECE ALLOWS A MEMBER STATE OF THE EEC TO REQUIRE FROM ITS EXPORTERS TO GREECE EITHER AN EXPORT LICENCE OR A CERTIFICATE IN PLACE THEREOF , WHERE SUCH CERTIFICATE DOES NOT GIVE RISE TO THE IMPOSITION OF A CHARGE AND MAY BE REFUSED ONLY IF THE QUALITY OF THE GOODS DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE STANDARDS LAID DOWN BY THE BODY ISSUING THE CERTIFICATE ;
2 . WHETHER ITS INTERPRETATION OF