FOR REIMBURSEMENT ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL 1984 , C 326 , P . 3 ).
8 IN THAT CONNECTION IT SHOULD BE RECALLED THAT THE COMMISSION , AFTER CONDUCTING LENGTHY INQUIRIES IN THE COURSE OF THE 1970S , HAD ADOPTED A DECISION AS EARLY AS 15 DECEMBER 1981 ON THE PREFERENTIAL TARIFF CHARGED TO GLASSHOUSE-GROWERS FOR NATURAL GAS IN THE NETHERLANDS ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL 1982 , L 37 , P . 29 ). THAT DECISION REQUIRED THE NETHERLANDS GOVERNMENT TO ABOLISH THE PREFERENTIAL TARIFF FOR HORTICULTURE BY 1 OCTOBER 1982 BY ALIGNMENT OF THE HORTICULTURAL TARIFF ON THE INDUSTRIAL TARIFF . WHILE THAT DECISION WAS BEING CONTESTED IN AN ACTION BEFORE THE COURT , NEGOTIATIONS TOOK PLACE BETWEEN THE NETHERLANDS GOVERNMENT AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HORTICULTURAL SECTOR WITHIN THE LANDBOUWSCHAP . THESE RESULTED IN AN AGREEMENT ON THE PROGRESSIVE ALIGNMENT FROM 1 APRIL 1983 OF THE HORTICULTURAL TARIFF ON THE INDUSTRIAL TARIFF .
9 IN SEPTEMBER 1984 , NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE LANDBOUWSCHAP AND THE NETHERLANDS COMPANY DISTRIBUTING GAS , GASUNIE , RESULTED IN A NEW CONTRACT APPLICABLE FROM 1 OCTOBER 1984 TO 1 OCTOBER 1985 . THE DECISION AT ISSUE IN THESE PROCEEDINGS PROHIBITED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT CONTRACT .
10 ACCORDING TO THE APPLICANTS IN CASES 67/85 R AND 68/85 R , IT IS CLEAR FROM THE CONTENT OF THE DECISION THAT , ALTHOUGH FORMALLY ADDRESSED TO THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS , IT IS OF DIRECT AND INDIVIDUAL CONCERN TO THEM . THE LANDBOUWSCHAP ALSO STRESSES THAT , SINCE IT SIGNED THE AGREEMENT REFERRED TO IN THE CONTESTED DECISION , IT MUST BE INDIVIDUALLY CONCERNED BY THAT DECISION .
11 AS REGARDS THE SUBSTANCE , ALL THE APPLICANTS STRESS THAT GASUNIE IS A COMPANY INCORPORATED UNDER PRIVATE LAW , AND THE PUBLIC AUTHORITIES HAVE NO LEGAL MEANS OF INFLUENCING , EITHER IN ADVANCE OR EX POST FACTO , THE RESULT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE PRICE OF NATURAL GAS TO WHICH THE AGREEMENT CHALLENGED BY THE COMMISSION RELATES . BY ADOPTING THE CONTESTED DECISION , THE COMMISSION HAS THUS EXCEEDED ITS POWERS BY COMPELLING THE NETHERLANDS AUTHORITIES TO ADOPT THE MEASURES REFERRED TO IN THE OPERATIVE PART OF THE DECISION . MOREOVER , THE COMMISSION DOES NOT STATE ON WHAT BASIS THE NETHERLANDS MUST ADOPT THE MEASURES REFERRED TO IN THE OPERATIVE PART OF THE DECISION AND HAS THUS FAILED TO COMPLY WITH ITS OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE A STATEMENT OF REASONS .
12 SECONDLY , THE APPLICANTS SUBMIT THAT , WHEN EXAMINING THE MATTER ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS , THE COMMISSION HAS ALWAYS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE SPECIAL POSITION OF GLASSHOUSE-GROWERS IN THE NETHERLANDS AND CONSIDERED THAT IN VIEW OF THAT POSITION THERE WAS JUSTIFICATION FOR ALLOWING THE TARIFF FOR NATURAL GAS USED IN HORTICULTURE TO VARY CONSIDERABLY IN THE LONG TERM FROM THE EQUIVALENT PRICE OF HEAVY FUEL OIL . THUS IN A COMMUNICATION OF 30 OCTOBER 1984 ON NATURAL GAS , ADDRESSED TO THE COUNCIL ( COM ( 84 ) 583 ), THE COMMISSION ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ' NATURAL