COMPONENT STANDARDIZATION IS ALSO PROVIDED FOR , ALLOWING MUTUAL INTERCHANGEABILITY OF PARTS IN INDIVIDUAL INSTRUMENTS , TOGETHER WITH SPECIALIZED DIVISION OF PRODUCTION AIMED AT AVOIDING IRRATIONAL DUPLICATION . ALTHOUGH THE AGREEMENT ORIGINALLY PROVIDED OTHERWISE , EACH PARTY DISTRIBUTES ITS OWN GOODS IN THE COMMON MARKET , EXCEPT THAT VICKERS DISTRIBUTES SOPELEM/NACHET MICROSCOPES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND , AND NACHET DISTRIBUTES VICKERS MICROSCOPES IN FRANCE . COOPERATION BETWEEN THE PARTIES HAS NOT BEEN EXTENDED TO OTHER FIELDS OF ACTIVITY DURING THE VALIDITY OF THE AGREEMENT .
FURTHER DETAILS MAY BE OBTAINED BY REFERRING TO THE RECITALS IN THE PREAMBLE TO DECISION 78/251/EEC .
2 . THE PARTIES TO THE AGREEMENT HAVE JUSTIFIED THEIR APPLICATION FOR A PROLONGATION OF THE EXEMPTION BY THE NEED FOR THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR TECHNICAL COOPERATION IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MEET CONSTANTLY INCREASING COMPETITION . THEIR COOPERATION IS ALREADY WELL-ESTABLISHED AND HAS ALREADY PRODUCED POSITIVE RESULTS EVEN THOUGH IT HAS ONLY BEEN IN OPERATION FOR A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD .
3 . THE PARTIES HAVE SUBMITTED THE ANNUAL REPORTS REQUIRED BY ARTICLE 3 OF THE DECISION IN THE DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION BETWEEN THEM UNDER THE AGREEMENT . THE COMMISSION DRAWS THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS FROM THESE REPORTS :
( A ) TECHNICAL COOPERATION , BASED ON THE REGULAR EXCHANGE OF THE KNOW-HOW ACQUIRED IN EACH PARTY'S INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES , HAS CONSISTED MAINLY OF THE RECIPROCAL USE OF MICROSCOPE ACCESSORIES AND PARTS ; THIS ALLOWS LONGER PRODUCTION RUNS , AND THUS SOME-WHAT REDUCED COSTS . THE PARTIES HAVE RECENTLY DECIDED , WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE AGREEMENT , TO FURTHER INTENSIFY THEIR JOINT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ;
( B ) DURING THE PERIOD IN WHICH THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN APPLIED THE PARTIES HAVE NOT INCREASED THEIR RESPECTIVE MARKET SHARES , EVEN ON THEIR HOME MARKETS . THEIR MAIN COMPETITORS CONTINUE TO BE JAPANESE AND GERMAN MANUFACTURERS ;
( C ) ON THE DISTRIBUTION SIDE IT HAS BEEN DECIDED THAT EACH OF THE PARTIES SHOULD RESUME ITS FREEDOM TO SELL ITS OWN PRODUCTS AND TO CHOOSE ITS DISTRIBUTORS IN ALL COMMUNITY COUNTRIES , EXCEPT IN FRANCE , WHERE NACHET IS SOLE DISTRIBUTOR OF VICKERS PRODUCTS , AND IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND , WHERE VICKERS IS SOLE DISTRIBUTOR OF SOPELEM/NACHET PRODUCTS ;
( D ) COOPERATION BETWEEN THE PARTIES HAS NOT BEEN EXTENDED TO OTHER FIELDS OF ACTIVITY .
4 . THE COMMISSION HAS RECEIVED NO OBSERVATIONS FROM THIRD PARTIES FOLLOWING PUBLICATION OF THE NOTICE REQUIRED BY ARTICLE 19 ( 3 ) OF REGULATION NO 17 .
II
5 . DECISION 78/251/EEC MAY BE RENEWED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 8 ( 2 ) OF REGULATION NO 17 , AS THE REQUIREMENTS OF ARTICLE 85 ( 3 ) CONTINUE TO BE SATISFIED .
6 . TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND COOPERATION IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT REMAIN A NECESSARY MEANS FOR THE UNDERTAKINGS CONCERNED TO MAINTAIN A MORE COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF INSTRUMENTS , TO AVOID UNNECESSARILY INCREASING PRODUCTION COSTS OF THEIR MICROSCOPES AND TO COMPETE MORE ENERGETICALLY AGAINST LARGE