31976R0162

27 . 1 . 76 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 18 / 13

COMMISSION REGULATION ( EEC) No 162/ 76 of 23 January 1976 subjecting to authorization imports into Italy of cast-iron tube and pipe fittings originating in Taiwan

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN immediate intervention in order to safeguard the inter­ COMMUNITIES, ests of the Community is called for ;

Whereas, for these reasons, it is necessary, as an excep­ Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European tional measure and without prejudice to the position Economic Community, to be adopted in other sectors and towards other exporting countries, to establish quantitative import Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No restrictions and to fix the level of such restrictions by 1439/74 of 4 June 1974 on common rules for reference to the volume of imports effected in 1975 ; imports ('), and in particular Article 12 thereof, Whereas the concentration of Taiwanese exports on the Italian market justifies the limitation of the protec­ Having consulted the Advisory Committee set up tive measures to Italy ; under Article 5 of the said Regulation ,

Whereas, in view of the uncertainty of developments Whereas, according to information furnished by the in the sector, the period of validity of the measures Italian authorities, the Italian market in cast-iron tube should not extend beyond 30 June 1976, and pipe fittings is encountering a period of recession both in consumption , which was reduced by half between 1973 and 1975, and in production , which has fallen from 20 000 metric tons in 1974 to 12 000 HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : metric tons in 1975 ; whereas this development has resulted in the accumulation of large quantities of stocks and in a very significant reduction in the rate of utilization of productive capacity ; Article 1

Whereas these developments have had extremely The importation into Italy of tube and pipe fittings grave repercussions on employment in the relevant (for example, joints, elbows, unions and flanges) of sector, two factories, including the largest one, having malleable cast-iron corresponding to Nimexe code No had to cease production and , consequently, to make 73.20-30 originating in Taiwan is hereby made subject redundant approximately 1 000 workers and, of the to the production of an import authorization issued by 1 600 workers who remain employed , 1 500 are the competent Italian authorities . working half-time ; whereas the locality of the facto­ ries concerned makes it particularly difficult to re-de­ The total quantity of the said products for which ploy the workers affected ; import authorizations may be issued during the period commencing on the date of entry into force of this Whereas in this situation the Italian authorities have Regulation and ending on 30 June 1976 shall not exceed 8 20 metric tons . requested the immediate taking of protective measures with regard to Taiwan and have indicated that the prices prevailing for exports from Taiwan , which hold a large share of the Italian market, are very consider­ Artica- 2 ably lower than the prevailing domestic prices in Italy and are also considerably lower than the average price 1 . This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of other imports of this product ; following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. Whereas, in the exceptional crisis situation at present facing this sector of Italian industry, the particular 2. It shall apply until the entry into force of appro­ conditions under which Taiwanese products are priate measures to be taken by the Council in accor­ imported cause or threaten to cause substantial injury dance with Articles 12 (6) and 13 of Regulation (EEC) to Italian producers of like products, and whereas No 1439/ 74 or until the expiry of a period of six weeks after its entry into force , whichever is the (') OJ No L 159 , 15 . 6 . 1974, p. 1 . sooner .

No L 18 / 14 27 . 1 . 76 Official Journal of the European Communities

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States .

Done at Brussels, 23 January 1976 . For the Commission Christopher SOAMES Vice-President