Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof,

Having regard to the recommendation from the Commission,

Whereas under the Voluntary Restraint Agreements concluded with the European Economic Community on mutton, lamb and goatmeat or live sheep and goats, the non-member countries in question undertook, in exchanges of letters, to limit the amount of their exports to certain Community markets considered to be sensitive areas; whereas those undertakings, however, expire on 31 March 1984;

Whereas there has been no change in the circumstances which led to these areas to be recognized as sensitive; whereas provision should therefore be made for extending the arrangements concerning restrictions on exports to those areas;

Whereas the Commission has conducted negotiations to that end in Austria, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Iceland, Poland, Uruguay and Yugoslavia; whereas these negotiations resulted in the initialling of an Agreement with each of those countries,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: