Article 4

The provisions concerning the progressive abolition of customs duties on imports shall also apply to customs duties of a fiscal nature.

The Contracting Parties may replace a customs duty of a fiscal nature or the fiscal element of a customs duty by an internal tax.

Denmark, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom may retain until 1 January 1976 a customs duty of a fiscal nature or the fiscal element of a customs duty in the event of implementation of Article 38 of the “Act concerning the Conditions of Accession and the Adjustments to the Treaties” drawn up and adopted within the Conference between the European Communities and the Kingdom of Denmark, Ireland, the Kingdom of Norway and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Switzerland may retain temporarily, while observing the conditions of Article 18, duties corresponding to the fiscal element contained in customs duties on imports of products specified in Annex II.

The Joint Committee provided for in Article 29 shall examine whether the conditions set out in the preceding subparagraph are being met, particularly where a change has been made in the amount of the fiscal element.

The Joint Committee shall examine the position with a view to the conversion of such duties into internal charges before 1 January 1980 or before any other date which it might determine in the light of circumstances.