Introductory text

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

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

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas, by Decision 75/199/EEC^f1, the Community became a Contracting Party to the international Convention on the simplification and harmonization of customs procedures;

Whereas, by the said Decision and Decisions 77/415/EEC^f2, 78/528/EEC^f3, 80/391 /EEC^f4, 85/204/EEC^f5, 86/103/EEC^f6, 87/593/EEC^f7, 87/594/EEC^f8, 88/355/EEC^f9 and 88/356/EEC^f10, the Community has accepted 18 Annexes to the said Convention;

Whereas, pursuant to Article 5 (1) of the said Convention, the Community has entered reservations on some ‘Standards and Recommended Practices’ defined in these Annexes in order to cover the special requirements of the customs union;

Whereas, pursuant to Article 5 (2) of the said Convention, the Community is required to review, once every three years at least, the Standards and Recommended Practices in respect of which it has entered reservations; whereas Article 5 (1) of the Convention allows Contracting Parties to enter reservations even after an Annex has been accepted,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: