29. 10. 86 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 303/29 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 16 July 1986 authorizing Spain to adopt protective measures in respect of urea imports (Only the Spanish text is authentic) (86/511/EEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to the Act of Accession of Spain and Portugal, and in particular Article 379 thereof, Whereas by letter of 8 July 1986 the Spanish Govern- ment applied to the Commission for authroization under Article 379 of the Act of Accession to introduce protec- tive measures in the urea sector; Whereas in their application the Spanish authorities provided the Commission with facts from which it emerges that the Spanish urea industry is experiencing serious difficulties which are liable to persist; Whereas there was 3 big increase in imports of fertilizer into Spain in January 1986 ; whereas this increase was particularly marked in the urea sector ; whereas imports of urea from other Member States between January and May 1986 amounted to some 63 000 tonnes; whereas during the corresponding period of 1985 urea imports amounted to some 500 tonnes ; whereas imports from non-Commu- nity countries during the first five months of 1986 amounted to some 19 000 tonnes; whereas during the corresponding period of 1985 imports from this source were insignificant ; Whereas applications for foreign currency to import some 650 000 tonnes of urea into Spain between January 1986 and June 1986 indicate the increase in imports is likely to be even more spectacular; Whereas in the last five years domestic consumption of urea has averaged some 525 000 tonnes a year; whereas the home market is the Spanish industry’s main outlet and its share of that market has decreased significantly from some 95 % in 1985 to less than 60 % in the first five months of 1986 ; whereas, consequently, the Spanish industry has been forced to reduce production; whereas the production forecast for 1986 is a total of 400 000 tonnes whilst the equivalent for 1985 was some 570 000 tonnes ; whereas this drop in production has accelerated the fall in the profitability of firms in the urea sector ; Whereas Spanish undertakings face serious structural defi- ciences particularly as regards their plant and are restruc- turing and therefore highly vulnerable; whereas higher imports are likely to jeopardize the restructuring process now in hard ; whereas the volume of imports from other Member States is one of the chief causes of the economic difficulties affecting the sector concerned; whereas without immediate intervention these difficulties are likely to worsen ; Whereas, in addition, the sector’s main production units are in particularly disadvantaged regions where there is considerably less économic development than in the rest of Spain, with little industry and a critical employment situation ; whereas the survival of undertakings in other sectors in these regions depends on the viability of those in the urea sector; whereas, under these circumstances, the difficulties encountered by undertakings in the urea sector are likely to cause a serious deterioration in the " economic situation of these regions ;