7. 8.93 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 198/21 COMMISSION REGULATION (EEC) No 2227/93 of 6 August 1993 imposing quantitative restrictions on imports of unwrought aluminium originating in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1765/82 of 30 June 1982 on common rules for imports from State-trading countries ('), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 848/92 (3), and in particular Article 11 thereof, After consultations within the committee set up by Regu- lation (EEC) No 1765/82; Whereas : Procedure The Commission was informed that imports into the Community of unwrought aluminium originating in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had increased considerably and were continuing to grow in such a way as to cause serious injury to the Community industry. The French Government made a request on 3 February for Community safeguard measures to be applied to these imports, pursuant to Article 11 of Regu- lation (EEC) No 1765/82. Following consultations with the Member States, the Commission announced, in a notice published in the Official Journal of the European Communities(’), that a Community investigation would be instituted in connec- tion with the imports in question. The Commission made efforts to gather all the necessary information and to check all the information received. The Commission carried out on-site checks in Germany, Spain, Italy, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. InterComAlum, which represents the interests of produ- cers in Russia and the orther countries of the Common- wealth of Independent States (CIS), as well as those of some European and American producers and sellers, made its views known to the Commission. () OJ No L 195, 5. 7. 1982, p. 1. () OJ No L 89, 4. 4. 1992, p. 1. () OJ No C 94, 3. 4. 1993, p. 4. The Commission also granted a hearing to certain users of aluminium imported from the countries cited. Product The product involved in the investigation is unwrought aluminium falling within CN code ex 7601 (aluminium, not alloyed, falling within CN code 7601 10 00, and aluminium alloys, primary, falling within CN code 7601 20 10), originating in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Taji- kistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Imports of this product into the Community are unres- tricted and carry a customs duty of 6 %. Unwrought aluminium is not included in the GSP (generalized system of preferences). Production process and grade Unwrought aluminium is produced in two ways : 1. electrolysis/smelting ; 2. smelting alone. The unwrought aluminium produced by both these processes is comparable in all respects. Unwrought aluminium is sold in the form of ingots, bars and billets. Bars and billets can be used to produce semi- finished products by rolling or extrusion. Unwrought aluminium is generally of a 99,7 % pure A 1 grade. Like and competing products Community output from the electrolysis/smelting process is mainly unwrought aluminium alloy of a 99,7 % pure A1l grade. Unwrought aluminium imported from the non-member countries in question is mostly unalloyed and often less than 99,7 % pure. By smelting with aluminium of a different quality, the lower-grade metal can be brought up to the required level of purity and alloyed. Community products are therefore similar and compete in every respect with imported products.