No L 119/42 Official Journal of the European Communities 3.5 85 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 24 April 1985 extending the period of validity of Decision 74/509/ECSC authorizing the forma- tion of the Groupement européen du manganése (Only the French text is authentic) (85/253/ECSC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, and in particular Article 65 thereof, Having regard to the application made on 17 July 1984 by the Groupement Européen du Manganése, Whereas : 1. By Decision 74/509/ECSC (') the Commission, pursuant to Article 65(2) of the ECSC Treaty, authorized until 1 October 1979 the formation of the Groupement européen du manganese (GEM) by Société nouvelle des aciéries de Pompey (SNAP), Compagnie universelle dacétylene (CUA), Societé frangaise d’électro-métallurgie (Sofrem) and Eurominas Electro-Metallurgia (Eurominas). 2. By Decision 80/101/ECSC (3 the Commission extended the authorization in question until 31 December 1984. 3. By letter dated 17 July 1984 GEM requested the Commission to grant a further extension of the authorization. () OJ No L 286, 23. 10. 1974, p. 16. () OJ No L 24, 31. 1. 1980, p. 43. 4. In 1983 Sofrem acquired the total capital of CUA, which it already controlled, subsequently winding it up. This resulted in Sofrem taking over CUA’s shareholding in Eurominas and its share- holding and voting rights in GEM. 5. This operation will not affect competition between producers and sellers of high-carbon ferro- manganese in the Community because Eurominas and GEM are still controlled by the Pechiney and Sacilor groups, respective owners of Sofrem and SNAP, and because CUA stopped producing high-carbon ferro- manganese in 1980. 6. The 1974 Commission authorization estimated the probable annual sales in the EEC of high-carbon ferro-manganese produced by Eurominas at between 30 000 and 40 000 tonnes, representing between 2,6 and 3,4 % of Community consumption in 1973. Only 9 980 tonnes were in fact sold in 1983 and 25 575 tonnes in 1984, representing 1,7 and 4,7 % respec- tively of Community consumption for those years. The sizable increase in sales in 1984 compared with 1983 is due to special deliveries during the first half of the year to make up for the closure of a furnace at SNAP for repairs lasting three to four months. The general classification of GEM’s size in sales terms which was used as a basis for the 1974 Decision. may still be considered valid in the present market situation. 7.  Throughout the lifetime of the agreement setting it up, GEM has sold only the production of Euro- minas. SNAP and Sofrem have fully maintained their business independence.