9. 10. 84 Official Journal of the Eurbpean Communities No L 268/35 COMMISSION DECISION of 21 September 1984 renewing the authorization of an agreement between United Kingdom steelmaking undertakings concerning a joint buying agency for steelmaking materials (Steelmaking Supplies Ltd) ' (Only the English text is authentic) (84/477/ECSC) /THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, ‘Having regard to the Tréaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, and in partlcular Article 65 thereof, Having regard to Commission Decision 74/77/ECSC of 22 January 1974 authorizing an agreement between British steelmaking undertakings for the establishment of a joint buying agency for ferrous scrap and other steelmaking materials () and to Commission Decision . 77/437/ECSC (%) renewing that authorization, Having regard to the application submitted on 18 June 1982, amended by letter of 9 March 1984, by Steelmaking Supplies Ltd, London, Whereas : (1) By its Decision 74/77/ECSC, the Commission authorized an agreement between certain steel- making undertakings in the private sector of the- United Kingdom steel industry to establish a joint buying and consultative agency for ferrous scrap and other steelmaking materials. The agreement was authorized for an initial period of three years until 1 January 1977. (2) The agency in question was duly established under the name Steelmaking Supplies Ltd (SSL) in London. : (3) * By -its Decision 77/437/ECSC, the Commission renewed that authorization until 30 June 1982. (4) By application dated 18 June 1982, amended by letter of 9 March 1984, SSL requested on behalf of the undertakings concerned the renewal of that authorization for a further five years. () OJ No L 52, 23. 2. 1974, p. 22. () OJ No L 173, 13. 7. 1977, p. 19. (5) © ) (8) The undertakings- concerned are the following : — Barworth Flockton Ltd, Sheffield, — Brymbo Steel Works Ltd, Brymbo, — Rich. W. Carr & Co. Ltd, Sheffield, — Manchester Steel Ltd, Manchester, — F. M. Parkin Ltd, Sheffield, — Sanderson Kayser Ltd, Sheffield, — Sheerness Steel Co. Ltd, Sheerness, — Spear and Jackson Ltd, Sheffield. The principal features of the agreement are : (1) SSL may be employed by all or some of the parties to make joint purchases of scrap or other steelmaking materials as may be deter- mined on their behalf by the management committee of SSL, when these purchases cannot be more satisfactorily achieved by the parties acting independently ; (i) to determine the need for the employment of SSL, the parties regularly exchange informa- tion through SSL on the prices paid for scrap or such other steelmaking materials as may be agreed by them from time to time; (1if) SSL may also be employed by the parties to further their studies of the direct reduction of iron ore for use as a steelmaking raw material and to make arrangements for the supply of such material ; (iv) each party to the agreement has the power to appoint a representative to the management committee of SSL. The agreement restricts normal competition within the common market in that the parties " agree to allotate products and sources of supply through SSL and to exchange price information for this purpose. The agreement therefore falls ~ within the prohibition in Article 65 (1). The agreement is, however, strictly analogous in nature and effect to a joint buying agreement and can therefore be authorized if it continues to meet the conditions set out in"Article 65 (2) (a), (b) and (c).