Article 2

The release for free circulation in the Community of the steel products set out in Article 1 originating in the Russian Federation shall be subject to the presentation of an import licence issued by the Member States' authorities in accordance with the provisions of Article 4.

In order to ensure that quantities for which import licences are issued do not exceed at any moment the total quantitative limits, the competent authorities of the Member States listed in Annex II shall issue import licences only upon confirmation by the Commission that there are still quantities available within the quantitative limits.

For the purposes of this Regulation and as from the date of its application, shipment of products shall be considered as having taken place on the date on which they were loaded on to the exporting means of transport. Shipment must take place no later than 31 December 2004.