L 195/38 Official Journal of the European Communities 24.7.2002 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 8 July 2002 on administering certain restrictions on imports of certain steel products from the Russian Federation (notified under document number C(2002) 2480) (Text with EEA relevance) (2002/602[ECSC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community and in particular the first paragraph of Article 95 thereof, Having consulted the Consultative Committee and with the unanimous assent of the Council, Whereas: For the years 1995 to 2001 trade in certain products covered by the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Treaty was the subject of agreements between the Parties (). The Community has concluded a further ECSC steel agreement with the Russian Federation concerning trade in certain steel products covered by the European Coal and Steel Community Treaty which take account of developments in the relationship between the Parties (%). This agreement establishes quantitative limits for the entry into free circulation in the Community of certain steel products between 2002 to 2004 and provides a framework for the removal of quantitative restrictions provided that certain conditions are met and in parti- cular when compatible disciplines in respect of competi- tion, state aid and environmental protection have been established in respect of the steel products covered by the Agreement. () OJL 5, 8.1.96, p. 24, OJ L 45, 15.2.97, p. 40, OJ L 300, 4.11.1997, p. 51 (*) See page 54 of this Official Journal. (4) It is necessary to provide the means to administer this agreement within the Community, taking into account the experience gained during the previous agreements. It is necessary to ensure that the origin of the products in question is checked and appropriate methods of administrative cooperation are set up to this end. The effective application of the agreement requires the introduction of a requirement of a Community import licence for the entry into free circulation in the Commu- nity of the products in question together with a system for administering the grant of such Community import licences. 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. 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 will not issue import licences before obtaining prior confirmation from the Commission that appropriate amounts remain available within the quanti- tative limit in question.