5. 8. 86 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 217/21 COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 24 July 1986 on the initial stage of the mutual recognition of type approval for telecommunications terminal equipment (86/361/EEC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to thé Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof, ‘ 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 mutual recognition of type approval for tele- communications terminal equipment features in the Commission - communication to the Council of 18 May 1984 on telecommunications, in the Council recommen- dations of 12 November 1984 concerning the implemen- tation of harmonization in the field of telecommunica- tions and the first phase of opening up access to public telecommunications contracts, and in the Council conclu- sions of 17 December 1984 concerning a Community telecommunications policy ; Whereas the market in telecommunications terminal equipment and use of the full potential of the new tele- communications services are of considerable importance for the economic development of the Community ; Whereas it is absolutely essential to establish or consoli- date a specifically European industrial potential in the technologies concerned ; Whereas it is highly desirable to make rapid progress towards establishing a common market in this sector, in particular in order to offer the industry an improved base for its operations and to facilitate the adoption of a joint position with respect to third countries ; Whereas the mutual recognition of type approval for tele- communications terminal equipment constitutes a major step towards the creation of an open and unified market for such equipment; Whereas, since situations differ and technical and administrative constraints exist in the Member -States, progress towards this objective should be made in stages ; Whereas in particular the mutual recognition of confor- mity tests on mass-produced terminal equipment should () OJ No C 36, 17. 2. 1986, p. S5. () OJ No C 303, 25. 11. 1985, p. 2. constitute an initial stage of the mutual recognition of type approval for such equipment; Whereas such an approach must be based on the defini- tion of common technical specifications based on interna- tional standards and specifications and on the harmoniza- tion of general technical requirements for testing, measuring and approval procedures in the areas of tele- communications and information technology ; Whereas a general standardization programme is being implemented in the field of information technology in compliance with the Standards Code of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT); Whereas there is a need for a more comprehensive frame- work to be drawn up in preparation for a second stage which would create an open and unified market in tele- communications terminal equipment, bearing in mind that for telecommunications this has to include both the free movement of equipment and unimpeded connection to networks, in accordance with the harmonized require- ments ; Whereas Council Directive 73/23/EEC of 19 February 1973 on the harmonization of the laws of the Member States relating to electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits (¥) and Council Directive 83/189/EEC of 28 March 1983 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations (*) are applicable, inter alia, to the fields of telecommunications and information technology ; Whereas the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) and the Commission concerning standards and type approval for telecommunications equipment and the general guidelines agreed with the Joint European Standards Institution CEN-CENELEC henceforth make it possible to entrust specialized tech- nical harmonization work to those bodies : Whereas the mechanism introduced by certain CEPT administrations, including those of the Community Member States, under the agreement drawn up at Copen- hagen on 15 November 1985, incorporates a formal adop- tion procedure and an undertaking to implement certain CEPT recommendations, which are then designated as ‘NETS (Normes européennes de télécommunications); () OJ No L 77, 26. 3. 1973, p. 29. (y O] No L 109, 26. 4. 1983, p. 8.