6.12.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 321/11 COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2142/2003 of 5 December 2003 terminating the definitive safeguard measures in relation to certain steel products imposed by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1694/2002 THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 3285/94 of 22 December 1994 on common rules for imports and repealing Regulation (EC) No 51894 (!), as last amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 2474[2000 (3, and in particular Article 21 thereof, Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 519/94 of 7 March 1994 on common rules for imports from certain third countries and repealing Regulations (EEC) No 1765/82, (EEC) No 1766/82 and (EEC) 3420/ 83 (%), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 427/2003 (%), and in particular Article 18 thereof, After consultations within the Advisory Committee established under Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 3285/94 and of Regulation (EC) No 519/94 respectively, Whereas: 1 2 4 5 () o] () O] () O] () O] 0) 0 PROCEDURE On 27 September 2003, following a full investigation in relation to 21 steel products, the Commis- sion imposed definitive safeguard measures in relation to seven of those steel products, namely non- alloy hot-rolled coils, non-alloy hot-rolled sheets and plates, non-alloy hot-rolled narrow strip, alloy hot-rolled flat products, cold-rolled sheets, fittings (< 609,6 mm), and flanges (other than of stainless steel). In particular, the Commission concluded that, in relation to each product, increased imports result from unforeseen developments had caused serious injury to the Community producers. The Commission also noted that due to a steel safeguard measure taken by the United States of America on 5 March 2002 in relation to a wide range of steel products, imports into the Community were likely to further increase and to significantly aggravate the situation of the Community producers. Definitive safeguard measures were therefore imposed by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1694/ 2002 (°). However, in recital 705 thereof, the Commission recalled that the safeguard measures were taken in the context of the effect of increased imports caused by the United States trade defence measures culminating in the United States safeguard measures, and undertook to re-examine the need for measures should circumstances change. A change of circumstances has now occurred, and the circumstances now pertaining in relation to each product are set out below. Since the imposition of safeguard measures by the Commission, the European steel market has stabilised in relation to the level of imports. Further, on 4 December 2003, the United States of America announced the withdrawal of the US safeguard measures on steel. L 349, 31.12.1994, p. 53. L 286, 11.11.2000, p. 1. L 67,10.3.1994, p. 89. L 65, 8.3.2003, p. 1. L 261, 28.9.2002, p. 1.