No L 238/24 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 8. 92 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 14 August 1992 imposing protective measures in respect of certain steel pipes originating in the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic and imported into the Federal Republic of Germany (Only the German and Italian texts are authentic) (92/433/EEC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 520/92 of 27 February 1992, and in particular Article 6 thereof (*), Whereas : 1) Re) &) An Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters between the European Economic Commu- nity, of the one part, and the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, of the other part, was signed in Brussels on 16 December 1991. Safeguard measures may be taken under Articles 24 and 27 (3) (d) of this Interim Agreement. On 29 July and 3 August 1992 respectively, Germany and Italy requested that the Commission adopt forthwith safeguard measures under the Interim Agreement in respect of imports of steel pipes falling within CN codes 7304 and 7306 origi- nating in Czechoslovakia. In their requests the German and Italian authorities claimed that the products in question were being () OJ No L 56, 29. 2. 1992, p. 9. 4 4 imported in such increased quantities and under such conditions as to cause or threaten to cause : — serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly competing products, or — serious disturbances in the sector concerned or difficulties which could bring about serious deterioration in the economic situation of a region. In support of their claim, the German authorities told the Commission that imports from Czechoslo- vakia of unwelded steel pipes falling within CN code 7304 totalled 37 377 tonnes during the first four months of 1992, compared with 7 226 tonnes in the same period of 1991, an increase of 420 %. The result has been an increase in the share of German consumption held by piping from Czechoslovakia from 8,3 to 18%. During the same period, imports of welded pipes falling within CN code 7306 increased by 652 %, from 3125 to 23 500 tonnes. Prices for these imports undercut Community market prices by 20 to 30 %. The German authorities argued that the suddénness and magnitude of this increase in imports, the volumes concerned and the prices charged were seriously disturbing the German market in the products in question.