12.3.98 Official Journal of the European Communities L 74/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) DIRECTIVE 98/13/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 12 February 1998 relating to telecommunications terminal equipment and satellite earth station equipment, including the mutual recognition of their conformity THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 100a thereof; Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (1), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189b of the Treaty (), (1) Whereas Council Directive 91/263/EEC of 29 April 1991 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning telecommunications terminal  equipment, including the mutual recognition of their conformity(®), and Council Directive  93/97/EEC  of 29 October 1993 supplementing Directive 91/263/EEC in respect of satellite earth station equipment(*) should, for the sake of clarity and rationality, be codified in a single text; (2) Whereas the sector covering telecommunications terminal equipment and satellite earth station equipment is a vital part of the telecommunications industry, which is one of the industrial mainstays of the economy in the Community; (") OJ C 204, 15.7.199%6, p. 3. () Opinion of the European Parliament of 22 May 1996 (O] C 166, 10.6.1996, p. 60), Council Common Position of 16 October 1997 (O] C 375, 10.12.1997, p. 48) and Decision of the European Parliament of 19 November 1997. Council Decision of 18 December 1997. () OJ L 128, 23.5.1991, p. 1. Directive as amended by Directive 93/68/EEC (O] L 220, 30.8.1993, p. 1). (%) OJ L 290, 24.11.1993, p. 1. (3) Whereas the Commission, in its Green Paper on the development of the common market for telecommunications services and equipment, has proposed to accelerate the introduction of the full mutual recognition of type approval as the measure vital for the development of a competitive Community-wide terminal market; Whereas the Commission, in its Green Paper on a common approach in the field of satellite communications in the Community, has proposed the introduction of mutual recognition of type approval for satellite earth station equipment as one of the major preconditions for, inter alia, a Community-wide market for satellite earth station equipment; Whereas the Council, in its resolution of 30 June 1988 (%) on the development of the common market for telecommunications services and equipment, has confirmed as a major goal in the telecommunications  policy the full mutual recognition of type approval for terminal equipment on the basis of the rapid development of common European conformity specifications; Whereas the Council, in its resolution of 19 December 1991 on the development of the common market for satellite communications services and equipment (°), has recognised as one of the major goals in satellite telecommunications policy the harmonisation and liberalisation of appropriate satellite earth station equipment, subject, in particular, to conditions necessary for compliance with essential requirements; 57, 4.10.1988, p. 1. , 14.1.1992, p. 1. o N