24.12.2008 Official Journal of the European Union L 348/1 | (Acts adopted under the EC Treaty/Euratom Treaty whose publication is obligatory) REGULATIONS COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1340/2008 of 8 December 2008 on trade in certain steel products between the European Community and the Republic of Kazakhstan THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 133 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas: (1) Article 17(1) of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, and the Republic of Kazakhstan (1) provides that trade in certain steel products are to be subject to a specific agreement on quantitative arrangements. The Bilateral Agreement between the European Community and the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan on trade in certain steel products (?) concluded on 19 July 2005 expired on 31 December 2006. Since 2007 and 2008 autonomous measures established by  Council Regulation (EC) No 1870/2006 (}) and Council Regulation (EC) No 1531/2007 (%) respectively have governed the trade in certain  steel products between the European Community and Kazakhstan. Pending the signature and entry into force of a new agreement or Kazakhstan's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), quantitative limits starting in 2009 should be established. Given that the conditions that led to the fixing of the quantitative limits for 2007 and 2008 remain largely in place, it is appropriate to set the quantitative limits for 2009 at the same level as that of 2007 and 2008. 196, 28.7.1999, p. 3. 232, 8.9.2005, p. 64. 360, 19.12.2006, p. 1. 337, 21.12.2007, p. 2. ©) It is necessary to provide the means to administer this regime within the Community in such a way as to facilitate the implementation of the new Agreement by envisaging as much as possible similar provisions. It is necessary to ensure that the origin of the products in question is checked and appropriate methods of admin- istrative cooperation are set up to this end. Products placed in a free zone or imported under the arrangements governing customs warehouses, temporary importation or inward processing (suspension system) should not be counted against the limits established for the products in question. The effective application of this Regulation calls for the introduction of a requirement for a Community import licence for the entry into free circulation in the Community of the products in question. In order to ensure that these quantitative limits are not exceeded, it is necessary to establish a management procedure whereby the competent authorities of the Member States do not issue import licences before obtaining confirmation from the Commission that appropriate amounts remain available within the quanti- tative limit in question, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 1. This Article 1 shall Regulation apply to imports into the Community of steel products listed in Annex I originating in the Republic of Kazakhstan.