4.11.78 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 311/13 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 28 September 1978 applying Council Decision 77/186/EEC on the exporting of crude oil and petroleum products from one Member State to another in the event of supply difficulties ~ (78/890/EEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Decision 77/186/EEC of 14 February 1977 on the exporting of crude oil and petroleum products from one Member State to another in the event of supply difficulties (1), and in particular Article 7 thereof, Whereas Decision 77/186/EEC provides that where difficulties arise in the supply of crude oil and/or pet- roleum products in one or more Member States the Commission may decide to make trade between Member States subject to a system of licences to be granted automatically by the exporting Member State; Whereas Decision 77/186/EEC provides that whenever an actual or imminent shortfall in the supply of crude oil and/or petroleum products creates an abnormal in- crease in trade in petroleum products between Member States the Commission may authorize Member States to suspend the issue of export licences to the extent neces- sary to prevent such abnormal trade; Whereas Decision 77/186/EEC provides that if a short- fall is likely seriously to endanger the supply of crude oil and/or petroleum products in a Member State, or if such a situation may reasonably be expected, the Commission may authorize that Member State to sus- pend the issue of export licences, provided that tra- ditional trade patterns are maintained as far as possible; () OJNo L 61, 5. 3. 1977, p. 23. Whereas Decision 77/186/EEC provides that in the event of a sudden crisis in a Member State, when any delay would be gravely prejudicial to its economy, that Member State may, after consulting the Commission and after informing the other Member States, tempor- arily suspend the issue of export licences; Whereas the overriding objective of Decision 77/186/EEC is to help create genuine solidarity between the Member States so that any burdens and conse- quences arising from a crisis can be shared out fairly with a view to ensuring an optimum supply of crude oil and/or petroleum products to the whole Community, and also to safeguard the unity of the commom market even if protective measures should prove necessary; Whereas, as far as possible, Member States should therefore — while honouting their existing inter- national commitments — maintain the normal channels of supply and the normal supply proportions between crude oil and petroleum products, and among the dif- ferent categories of crude oil and petroleum products, and guarantee fair treatment for all market operators as regards both prices and quantities, ensuring a balanced supply within the refining and distribution industries and between the refining and distribution companies in accordance with traditional supply patterns; Whereas the Commission has consulted the Member States in accordance with Article 7 of Decision 77/186/EEC; Whereas in order to perform its tasks the Commission requires exact information on supplies and on trade between Member States in crude oil and/or petroleum products; whereas Member States should therefore communicate to the Commission the necessary informa- tion,