IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LAW GOVERNING COMPETITION , THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE AREAS RESPECTIVELY COVERED BY COMMUNITY LAW AND THE LAW OF THE MEMBER STATES . THUS COMMUNITY LAW COVERS ANY AGREEMENT OR ANY PRACTICE WHICH IS CAPABLE OF CONSTITUTING A THREAT TO FREEDOM OF TRADE BETWEEN MEMBER STATES IN A MANNER WHICH MIGHT HARM THE ATTAINMENT OF THE OBJECTIVES OF A SINGLE MARKET BETWEEN THE MEMBER STATES , IN PARTICULAR BY PARTITIONING THE NATIONAL MARKETS OR BY AFFECTING THE STRUCTURE OF COMPETITION WITHIN THE COMMON MARKET . ON THE OTHER HAND CONDUCT THE EFFECTS OF WHICH ARE CONFINED TO THE TERRITORY OF A SINGLE MEMBER STATE IS GOVERNED BY THE NATIONAL LEGAL ORDER .
18FOR THE PURPOSE OF APPLYING THESE CRITERIA TO THE FACTS IN THIS CASE IT IS NECESSARY TO EXAMINE SEPARATELY THE EFFECTS ON LIPTONS ' COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES , ON THE ONE HAND , AND ON TRADE IN SPARE PARTS IN GENERAL , ON THE OTHER .
19IT IS ESTABLISHED THAT THE CENTRE OF LIPTONS ' ACTIVITIES IS THE LONDON REGION AND THAT , IN ANY EVENT , ITS COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES HAVE NEVER EXTENDED BEYOND THE UNITED KINGDOM . AS REGARDS THE FUTURE , THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT LIPTONS ENVISAGES EXTENDING ITS ACTIVITIES BEYOND THOSE GEOGRAPHICAL LIMITS . THAT LIMITATION IS EXPLAINED , MOREOVER , BY THE PARTICULAR NATURE OF THE ACTIVITIES IN QUESTION . THE MAINTENANCE , REPAIR AND RENTING OUT OF CASH REGISTERS AND THE SALE OF USED MACHINES CANNOT CONSTITUTE PROFITABLE OPERATIONS BEYOND A CERTAIN AREA AROUND THE COMMERCIAL BASE OF AN UNDERTAKING . THIS CHARACTERISTIC IS REFLECTED IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE UNDERTAKINGS CONCERNED . IT APPEARS FROM THE FILE THAT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM THERE EXIST LARGE NUMBERS OF SMALL , LOCAL UNDERTAKINGS WHICH SPECIALIZE IN THE PROVISION OF THE SERVICES IN QUESTION . THERE ARE GROUNDS FOR BELIEVING THAT THE COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE OF THIS TRADE IS THE SAME IN THE OTHER MEMBER STATES IN WHICH HUGIN ALSO APPLIES ITS POLICY OF NOT SUPPLYING SPARE PARTS OUTSIDE ITS OWN DISTRIBUTION NETWORK .
20THE CONCLUSION TO BE DRAWN FROM THESE CONSIDERATIONS IS THEREFORE THAT TRADE BETWEEN MEMBER STATES IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE OBSTACLES WHICH HUGIN ' S CONDUCT PLACES IN THE WAY OF THE ACTIVITIES OF INDEPENDENT UNDERTAKINGS WHICH SPECIALIZE IN THE PROVISION OF MAINTENANCE SERVICES .
21AS REGARDS THE DISTRIBUTION OF HUGIN SPARE PARTS AS A DISTINCT COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY IT IS ESTABLISHED THAT LIPTONS HAS TRIED IN VAIN TO OBTAIN SUCH PARTS FROM HUGIN DISTRIBUTORS IN CERTAIN OTHER MEMBER STATES . MOREOVER , HUGIN DOES NOT DENY THAT ITS POLICY OF NOT SUPPLYING SPARE PARTS OUTSIDE ITS OWN NETWORK , WHILST IT DOES NOT INVOLVE A PROHIBITION ON EXPORTS , NECESSARILY IMPLIES THAT THE REFUSAL TO SUPPLY INDEPENDENT UNDERTAKINGS APPLIES WHATEVER THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF THE UNDERTAKING .
22THE QUESTION IS , THEREFORE , WHETHER IT MAY BE ASSUMED THAT TRADE BETWEEN MEMBER STATES IN HUGIN SPARE PARTS WOULD EXIST IF THE MARKET CONDITIONS WERE ENTIRELY FREE AND NOT