L 335/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 10.12.98 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2645/98 of 9 December 1998 on the nomenclature of countries and territories for the external trade statistics of the Community and statistics of trade between Member States (Text with EEA relevance) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1172/95 of 22 May 1995 relating to the trading of goods by the Community and its Member States with non-member countries ('), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 374/ 98 (), Whereas in accordance with Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 1172/95 the introduction of the country nomencla- ture is the responsibility of the Commission; Whereas the version thereof valid on 1 January 1998 was annexed to Commission Regulation (EC) No 2317/97 () whereas from 1 January 1999 it will be based on the ISO alpha-2 standard; Whereas it is essential to take into account the decision of the Member States concerned to identify separately the statistical territories of Belgium and Luxembourg; Whereas it is preferable for there to be a transition period allowing Member States to adapt to the amendments made; whereas it is essential for purposes of simplification for this transition period to end when the provisions revising the rules on the Single Administrative Document come into force; Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee on Statistics relating to the Trading of Goods with Non- Member Countries, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: Article 1 The version valid on 1 January 1999 of the nomenclature of countries and territories for the external trade statistics of the Community and statistics of trade between Member States is set out in the Annex hereto. Article 2 This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1999. However, the Member States may use the three-digit numeric codes also shown in the Annex to this Regula- tion until the provisions revising Annexes 37 and 38 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2454/93 (*) come into force. This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. Done at Brussels, 9 December 1998. () OJ L 118, 25. 5. 1995, p. 10. () O] L 48, 19. 2. 1998, p. 6. ¢) OJ L 321, 22. 11. 1997, p. 19. For the Commission Yves-Thibault DE SILGUY Member of the Commission () OJ L 253, 11. 10. 1993, p. 1.