10. 3. 94 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 67/89 COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 519/9%4 of 7 March 1994 on common rules for imports from certain third countries and repealing Regulations (EEC) Nos 1765/82, 1766/82 and 3420/83 THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof, Having regard to the instruments establishing common organization of agricultural markets and to the instru- ments concerning processed agricultural products adopted in pursuance of Article 235 of the Treaty, in particular the provisions of those instruments which allow for deroga- tion from the general principle that all quantitative restrictions or measures having equivalent effect may be replaced solely by the measures provided for in those same instruments, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas the common commercial policy should be based on uniform principles ; whereas the common rules appli- cable to imports from certain third countries under Council Regulation (EEC) No 1765/82 of 30 June 1982 on common rules for imports from State-trading coun- tries (*), Council Regulation (EEC) No 1766/82 of 30 June 1982 on common rules for imports from the People’s Republic of China(®) and Council Regulation (EEC) No 3420/83 of 14 November 1983 on import arrange- ments for products originating in State-trading countries, not liberalized at Community level () form an important aspect of the policy ; however, they still allow exceptions and derogations enabling Member States to continue applying national measures to imports of products originating in the above third countries, so that the policy needs to be completed ; Whereas under Article 7a of the Treaty, the internal market comprises since 1 January 1993 of an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured; Whereas completion of the common commercial policy as it pertains to rules for imports is a necessary comple- ment to the completion of the internal market and is the (") OJ NoL195,5.7. 1§82, p- 1. Regulaiion as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1013/93 (O] No L 105, 30. 4. 1993, p.- 1) (3 OJ No L 195, 5.7. 1982, p. 21. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1409/86 (O] No L 128, 14. 5. 1986, p- 25). () OJ No L 346, 8. 12. 1983, p. 6. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EEC) No 848/92 (O] No L 89, 4. 4.1992, p. 1.) only means of ensuring that the rules applying to the Community’s trade with third countries correctly reflect the integration of the markets; Whereas in order to achieve greater uniformity in the rules for imports it is necessary to eliminate the excep- tions and derogations resulting from the remaining national commercial policy measures, and in particular the quantitative restrictions maintained by Member States under Regulation (EEC) No 3420/83 ; whereas this unifor- mity must be achieved by laying down, as far as possible given the particular features of the economic system in the third countries in question, provisions similar to those applied under the common rules for other third coun- tries ; Whereas the liberalization of imports, namely the absence of any quantitative restrictions, must therefore form the starting point for the Community rules; Whereas, however, for a limited number of products origi- nating in the People’s Republic of China, owing to the sensitivity of certain sectors of Community industry, quantitative quotas and surveillance measures applicable at Community level should be incorporated in this Regu- lation ; and whereas a procedure should be laid down for reviewing and checking these measures in order to adapt them to changes in the situation; Whereas, in the case of other products, the Commission must examine import terms and conditions, import trends, the various aspects of the economic and com- mercial situation, and the measures, if any, to be taken ; Whereas for those products, it may become apparent that there should be Community surveillance over certain of these imports ; Whereas it, is for the Commission and the Council to adopt the safeguard measures called for by the interests of the Community with due regard for existing international obligations ; Whereas surveillance or safeguard measures confined to one or more regions of the Community may nevertheless prove more suitable than measures applying to the whole Community ; whereas, however, such measures should be authorized only exceptionally and where no alternative exists ; whereas it is necessary to ensure that such measures are temporary and cause the minimum of disruption to the operation of the internal market ;