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COMMISSION DECISION
of 28 February 1984
establishing that the apparatus described as 'Three Rivers - Computer System, model PERQ' may not be imported free of Common Customs Tariff duties
(84/125/EEC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1798/75 of 10 July 1975 on the importation free of Common Customs Tariff duties of educational, scientific and cultural materials (1), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 608/82 (2),
Having regard to Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2784/79 of 12 December 1979 laying down provisions for the implementation of Regulation (EEC) No 1798/75 (3), and in particular Article 7 thereof,
Whereas, by letter dated 7 September 1983, the Federal Republic of Germany has requested the Commission to invoke the procedure provided for in Article 7 of Regulation (EEC) No 2784/79 in order to determine whether or not the apparatus described as 'Three Rivers - Computer System, model PERQ', ordered on 29 October 1981 and intended to be used for office communication and for studies at the communication workstation, should be considered as a scientific apparatus and, where the reply is in the affirmative, whether apparatus of equivalent scientific value is currently being manufactured in the Community;
Whereas, in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 (5) of Regulation (EEC) No 2784/79, a group of experts composed of representatives of all the Member States met on 26 January 1984 within the framework of the Committee on Duty-Free Arrangements to examine the matter;
Whereas this examination showed that the apparatus in question is a computer;
Whereas it does not have the requisite objective characteristics making it specifically suited to scientific research; whereas, in particular, the fact that it concerns a single computer system with graphic, acoustic and communicative possibilities cannot confer upon it this character; whereas, moreover, apparatus of the same kind are principally used for non-scientific activities, in particular secretarial word processing; whereas its use in the case in question could not alone confer upon it the character of a scientific apparatus; whereas it therefore cannot be regarded as a scientific apparatus; whereas the duty-free admission of the apparatus in question is therefore not justified,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The apparatus described as 'Three Rivers - Computer System, model PERQ', which is the subject of an application by the Federal Republic of Germany of 7 September 1983, may not be imported free of Common Customs Tariff duties.
Article 2
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 28 February 1984.