RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE WT/L/9
20January 1995
ORGANIZATION
(95-0117)
Original:English/French/Spanish
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES -TRANSITIONAL MEASURES
TOTAKE ACCOUNT OFTHE EXTERNAL ECONOMIC
IMPACT OFGERMAN UNIFICATION
Thefollowing communication, dated 10January 1995, hasbeenreceived fromtheEuropean
Communities withtherequest thatitbecirculated tothemembers oftheWTO andthecontracting
parties totheGATT 1947.1
________________________
Council Regulation (EC) No.3258/94 of19December 1994
extendingRegulation(EC)No.665/94ontheintroductionoftransitionaltariffmeasures
forBulgaria, theCzech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania,
Moldova, Uzbekistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Croatia, Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Slovenia andtheformer Yugoslavia Republic ofMacedonia, until
31December 1994 totakeaccount ofGerman unification
TheCouncil oftheEuropean Union,
Having regard totheTreaty establishing theEuropean Community, andinparticular Articles 28
and113thereof ,
Having regard totheproposal from theCommission,
Whereas theCommon Customs Tariff willbefullyapplicable totheterritory oftheformer
German Democratic Republic asfrom 3October 1990, thedateofGerman unification;
Whereas theformer German Democratic Republic hadconcluded numerous agreements with
Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, theUSSR andYugoslavia which provided for
ayearly exchange ofspecific goods inmaximum quantities ortomaximum values atazerorateof
duty; whereas theformer German Democratic Republic hadconcluded long-term cooperation and
1Thisnotification complements thetextscontained indocument C/W/821/Add.1 (dated 21October
1994). Together withthelegalinstruments contained therein, itconstitutes themeasures taken bythe
Community under thewaiver decision of9December 1994 ascontained indocument L/7605 (dated
19December 1994).WT/L/9
Page2
investment agreements withCzechoslovakia, Poland andtheUSSR which willgiverisetoreciprocal
deliveries ofgoods atzeroratesofdutyformany years tocome;
Whereas agreements ofthefirsttypehavenotbeenrenewed after31December 1990 and
agreements ofthesecond typewillberenegotiated atCommunity, German orprivate enterprise level,
butwhereas thisprocess ofrenegotiation willtakesome time;
Whereas themaximum quantities orvalues mentioned intheseagreements donotentail legally-
binding obligations between theparties; whereas non-enforcement thereof cannot therefore giverise
toanycompensation bytheCommunity;
Whereas itisnecessary, therefore, during atransitional period toattenuate theimpact resulting
fromGerman unification onbothtypes ofagreement asotherwise serious repercussions onenterprises
intheterritory oftheformer German Democratic Republic andinBulgaria, theCzech Republic,
Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan,Latvia,Lithuania,Moldova,Uzbekistan,Russia,Tajikistan,Turkmenistan,Ukraine,Croatia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia andtheformer Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia could result andindeed
thestability oftheeconomies ofthese countries might beadversely affected thereby;
Whereas forthese reasons itisappropriate tosuspend temporarily theduties oftheCommon
Customs Tariff forproducts originating inBulgaria, theCzech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland,
Romania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania,
Moldova,Uzbekistan,Russia,Tajikistan,Turkmenistan,Ukraine,Croatia,Bosnia-Herzegovina,Slovenia
andtheformer Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia, which arecovered bytheabove-mentioned agreements
between theformer German Democratic Republic andthese countries, uptothemaximum quantities
orvalues laiddown therein;
Whereas itisappropriate, inviewofthespecial circumstances ofGerman unification, forthe
saidsuspension ofduties tobeapplicable totheproducts concerned onlyinsofar astheyareputinto
freecirculation intheterritory oftheformer German Democratic Republic;
Whereas itisnecessary tomake provision fordetermining theorigin ofthegoods which will
becovered bythesaidsuspension ofduties;
Whereas, inviewofthedifficulties inapplying these measures andthefactthatsome oftheir
consequencesareunforeseeable,itisappropriatetoemphasizethetransitionalcharacterofthesemeasures
andrestrict theirduration toaone-year period upto31December 1995;
Whereas asimilar transitional arrangement wassetupuntil31December 1992byRegulation
(EEC) No.3568/902andbyDecision No.3788/90/ECSC3extended until31December 1993 by
Regulation (EEC) No.1343/934andbyDecision No.1535/93/ECSC5;whereas these arrangements
havebeenreplaced byRegulation (EC) No.665/946andDecision No.1478/94/ECSC7for1994;
2OJNo.L353,17.12.1990, p.1.
3OJNo.L364,28.12.1990, p.27.
4OJNo.L133,27.5.1993, p.27.
5OJNo.L151,22.6.1993, p.23.
6OJNo.L83,26.3.1994, p.1.WT/L/9
Page3
Whereas itisappropriate toprovide forspecial measures andaprocedure toputtheminplace,
incasethetemporary suspension ofduties causes orthreatens tocause serious injury toabranch of
Community industry;
Whereas these measures must besolely related tothecustoms tariff and,inanyevent, must
notprejudice theapplication ofCommunity measures under thecommon commercial policy,
Hasadopted thisRegulation:
Article 1
InArticle 1ofRegulation (EC) No.665/94, theyear1994 shallbereplaced by1995.
Article 2
ThisRegulation shallenter intoforce onthethirddayfollowing itspublication intheOfficial
Journal oftheEuropean Communities.
Itshallapply from 1January 1995.
ThisRegulation shallbebinding initsentirety anddirectly applicable inallMember States.
Done atBrussels, 19December 1994.
7(...continued)
7OJNo.L159,28.6.1994, p.37.WT/L/9
Page4
Commission Decision No.3248/94/ECSC of22December 1994
extending thevalidity ofDecision No.1478/94/ECSC of27June 1994 onthe
introduction oftransitional tariff measures forproducts covered bytheTreaty
establishing theECSC forBulgaria, theCzech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland,
Romania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Croatia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia andtheformer Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia, until
31December 1994 totakeaccount ofGerman unification.
TheCommission oftheEuropean Communities,
Having regard totheTreaty establishing theEuropean Coal andSteel Community, andin
particular Article 95(1) thereof,
Whereas thetariff applied toproducts governed bytheECSC Treaty isfullyapplicable tothe
territory oftheformer German Democratic Republic asfrom 3October 1990, thedateofGerman
unification;
Whereas theformer German Democratic Republic hadconcluded numerous agreements with
Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, theUSSR andYugoslavia which provided for
ayearly exchange ofspecific goods inmaximum quantities ortomaximum values atazerorateof
duty; whereas theformer German Democratic Republic hadconcluded long-term cooperation and
investmentagreementswithCzechoslovakia,PolandandtheUSSRwhichgiverisetoreciprocaldeliveries
ofgoods covered bytheTreaty establishing theECSC atzeroratesofdutyformany years tocome;
Whereas agreements ofthefirsttypenotrenewed after31December 1990 andagreements
ofthesecond typewillberenegotiated atCommunity, German orprivate enterprise level, butwhereas
thisprocess ofrenegotiation willtakesome time;
Whereas themaximum quantities orvalues mentioned intheseagreements donotentail legally-
binding obligations between theparties; whereas non-enforcement thereof cannot therefore giverise
toanycompensation bytheEuropean CoalandSteel Community;
Whereas itisnecessary, therefore, during atransitional period toattenuate theimpact resulting
fromGerman unification onbothtypes ofagreement asotherwise serious repercussions onenterprises
intheterritory oftheformer German Democratic Republic andinBulgaria, theCzech Republic,
Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan,Latvia,Lithuania,Moldova,Uzbekistan,Russia,Tajikistan,Turkmenistan,Ukraine,Croatia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina,SloveniaandtheformerYugoslavRepublicofMacedonia,couldresultand,indeed
thestability oftheeconomies ofthese countries might beadversely affected thereby;
Whereas forthese reasons itisappropriate tosuspend temporarily thecustoms duties applied
toproductscoveredbytheECSCTreatyoriginatinginBulgaria,theCzechRepublic,Slovakia,Hungary,
Poland, Romania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Croatia,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia andtheformer Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia, which arecovered
bytheabove-mentionedagreementsbetweentheformerGermanDemocraticRepublicandthesecountries
uptothemaximum quantities orvalues laiddown therein;WT/L/9
Page5
Whereas itisappropriate, inviewofthespecial circumstances ofGerman unification, forthe
saidsuspension ofduties tobeapplicable totheproducts concerned onlyinsofarastheyareputinto
freecirculation intheterritory oftheformer German Democratic Republic;
Whereas itisnecessary tomake provision fordetermining theorigin ofthegoods which will
becovered bythesaidsuspension ofduties;
Whereas inviewofthedifficulties inapplying these measures andthefactthatsome oftheir
consequencesareunforeseeable,itisappropriatetoemphasizethetransitionalcharacterofthesemeasures
andrestrict theirduration toaone-year period upto31December 1995 foralasttime;
Whereas asimilar transitional arrangement wassetupuntil31December 1992 byCouncil
Regulation (EEC) No.3568/908andbyCommission Decision No.3788/90/ECSC9,extended until
31December 1993 byCouncil Regulation (EEC) No.1343/9310andbyCommission Decision
No.153/93/ECSC11;these arrangements havebeenreplaced byRegulation (EC) No.665/9412and
byCommission Decision No.1478/94/ECSC13fortheyear1994;
Whereas itisappropriate toprovide forspecial measures andaprocedure toimplement them,
incasethetemporary suspension ofduties causes orthreatens tocause serious injury toabranch of
Community industry;
Whereas thisDecision implies aderogation from Recommendation No.1-64oftheHigh
Authority oftheECSC concerning anincrease intheprotective dutyonironandsteelproducts atthe
external frontiers oftheCommunity;
Whereas thisDecision doesnototherwise affect thepowers oftheMember States withregard
tocommercial policy referred toinArticle 71oftheTreaty;
Whereas these measures aresolely related tothecustoms tariff andinanyevent, must not
prejudice theapplication ofCommunity measures under thecommon commercial policy;
Having consulted theConsultative Committee andwiththeunanimous assent oftheCouncil,
Hasadopted thisDecision:
Article 1
InArticle 1ofDecision No.1478/94/ECSC, theyear"1994" isreplaced bytheyear"1995".
8OJNo.L353,17.12.1990, p.1.
9OJNo.L364,28.12.1990, p.27.
10OJNo.L133,2.6.1993, p.1.
11OJNo.L151,23.6.1993, p.23.
12OJNo.L83,26.3.1994, p.1.
13OJNo.L159,28.6.1994, p.37.WT/L/9
Page6
Article 2
ThisDecision shallenter intoforce onthethirddayfollowing itspublication intheOfficial
Journal oftheEuropean Communities .
Itshallapply from 1January 1995.
ThisDecision shallbebinding initsentirety anddirectly applicable inallMember States.
Done atBrussels, 22December 1994.