22.11. 97 Official Journal of the European Communities L 321/19 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2317/97 of 21 November 1997 on the country nomenclature for the external trade statistics of the Community and statistics of trade between Member States (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1172/95 of 22 May 1995 relating to the trading of goods by the Community and its Member States with non-member countries ('), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 476/97 (3, and in particular Article 21 (1) thereof, Whereas in accordance with Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1172/95 the introduction of the country nomen- clature is the responsibility of the Commission; Whereas the version thereof valid on 1 January 1997 was annexed to Commission Regulation (EC) No 895/97 of 20 May 1997 on the country nomenclature for the external trade statistics of the Community and statistics of trade between Member States (*); whereas from 1 January 1998 account should be taken of the change of name of the Republic of Zaire; Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on Statistics relating to the Trading of Goods with Non- Member Countries, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 The nomenclature of countries for the external trade statistics of the Community and statistics of trade between Member States is set out in the Annex hereto. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. It shall apply from 1 January 1998. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 21 November 1997. 1 () OJ L 118, 25. 5. 1995, p. 10. () OJ L 75, 15. 3. 1997, p. 1. () OJ L 128, 21. 5. 1997, p. 1. For the Commission Yves-Thibault DE SILGUY Member of the Commission