.20. 9. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 252/1 . (Acts whose publication is obligatory) COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 2641/84 of 17 September 1984 on the strengthemng of the common commercial policy with regard in particular to protection against illicit commercial practices THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof, Having regard to the rules establishing the common organization of agricultural markets and the rules adopted under Article 235 of the Treaty, applicable to goods processed from agricultural products, and in particular those provisions thereof which allow for derogation. from the general principle that any quanti- tative restriction or measure having equivalent effect may be replaced solely by the measures provided for in those instruments, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the - opinion of the European Parliament ('), Having regard to the -opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (?), Whereas the common commercial policy must be based on uniform principles, notably with regard to commercial protection ; whereas Council Regulation (EEC) No 2176/84 of 23 July 1984 on protection against dumped or subsidized imports from countries not members of the European Economic Commu- nity (°) and the rules for imports laid down pursuant to Regulation (EEC) No 288/82 (%), as amended by Regu- lations (EEC) No 899/83 (%), (EEC) No 1765/82 (¥) and (EEC) No 1766/82(), as amended by Regulations (EEC) No 35/83 (*) and (EEC) No 101/84 (*), constitute important components of that policy; S, 7. 1. 1983, p. 12. 14, 17. 1. 1984, p. 7. () OJ No C 205, 1. 8. 1983, p. () OJ No C 211, 8. 8. 1983, p. 24. % O] No L 201, 30. 7. 1984, p. 1. () O] No L 35, 9. 2. 1982, p. 1 () OJ No L 103, 21. 4. 1983, p. 1. () O] No L 195, 5. 7. 1982, p. 1. () OJ No L 195, 5. 7. 1982, p. 2. L L Whereas in the light of experience and of the conclu- sions of the European Council of June 1982, which considered that it was of the highest importance to defend ' vigorously the legitimate interests of the Community in the appropriate bodies, in particular GATT, and to make sure the Community, in man- aging trade policy, acts with as much speed.and effici- ency as its trading partners, it has become apparent that the common commercial policy needs to be strengthened, notably in the fields not covered by the rules already adopted ; Whereas to this end it is -advisable to provide the Community with procedures enabling it: — to respond to any illicit commercial practice with a view to removing the injury resulting therefrom, — to ensure full exercise of the Community’s rights with regard to the commercial practices of third countries ; Whereas, in .particular, the Community should be enabled to remove the injury resultxng from third countries’ practices whose illicit nature is evident from their incompatibility regarding international trade ~practices either with international law or with the generally accepted rules; Whereas the measures taken under the procedures in question should, however, be- without prejudice to other measures in cases not covered by this Regulation which might be adopted directly pursuant to Article 113 of the Treaty; Whereas the Community must act in compliance with - its international obligations and, where such obliga- tions result from agreements, maintain the balance of rights and obligations which it is the purpose of those agreements to establish ;