4. 2. 82 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 27/31 COMMISSION DECISION of 17 November 1981 relating to a proceeding under Article 15 of Council Regulation No 17 (IV/30.211 — Comptoir commercial d’importation) (Only the French text is authentic) (82/53/BEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation No 17 of 6 February 1962 ("), and in particular Article 15 (1) (b) thereof, Having regard to the Commission’s letter of 27 October 1978 addressed to Comptoir commercial d’importation (CCI), consisting of a request for infor- mation in accordance with Article 11 (3) of Regulation No 17, Having regard to the reply from CCI dated 17 November 1978, Having regard to the Commission’s decision of 8 May 1981 to initiate a proceeding in this matter. Having heard the undertaking’s concerned in accor- dance with Article 19 (1) of Regulation No 17 and with Commission Regulation No 99/63/EEC (3, Having regard to the opinion delivered by the Advi- sory Committee on Restrictive Practices and Domi- nant Positions on 18 September 1981, pursuant to Article 10 of Regulation No 17, Whereas : I FACTS The facts may be summarized as follows : A. THE UNDERTAKING 1. CCI is a company established in Paris under French law. CCI is principally engaged in the import and resale of a wide variety of products. A small part of CCI’s business is concerned with elec- tric motors for domestic and industrial vacuum () OJ No 13, 21. 2. 1962, p. 204/62. () OF No 127, 20. 8. 1963, p. 2268/63. cleaners supplied by Matsushita Electric Trading Company Ltd (Matsushita) of Japan. 2. These motors are intended for resale to domestic and industrial vacuum cleaner manufacturers who build them into their finished products. B. THE COMPLAINT Between January and August 1978 the Commission was informed that CCI was refusing to supply manu- facturers in the United Kingdom with Matsushita elec- tric motors. In particular the Commission received a copy of a letter from CCI to a United Kingdom manufacturer dated 10 August 1978 in which CCI stated that it could not sell motors to customers outside France. The investigation by the Commission (a) The Commission’s request for information On 27 October 1978 the Commission addressed to CCI a request for information pursuant to Article 11 of Regulation No 17. The letter was sent by registered post and contained the standard warning of the penalties provided for by that Regulation should incorrect information be supplied in reply thereto. The substance of the letter was as following : ‘The Commission has received information to the effect that the commercial relations between your company and Matsushita-Tokyo give rise to restric- tions on trade between Member States of the Community. Certain of these restrictions may amount to infringements of the rules on competi- tions. In order to assess the position in the light of Articles 85 and 86 of the Treaty, I shall be grateful if you will supply the following information : 1. A copy of the document or documents which define the nature of your relations with the company Matsushita. 2. ... (Turnover). 3. ... (Matsushita products).