Keywords
Summary

Keywords

1 . COMPETITION - COMMUNITY RULES - OBLIGATIONS OF THE MEMBER STATES

( EEC TREATY , ART . 5 , SECOND PARA , AND ART . 85 ( 1 ))

2 . COMPETITION - COMMUNITY RULES - NATIONAL RULES ON FUEL PRICES - COMPATIBILITY

( EEC TREATY , ARTS 3 ( F ), 5 , 85 AND 86 )

3 . FREE MOVEMENT OF GOODS - QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS - MEASURES HAVING EQUIVALENT EFFECT - PRICE CONTROL - PERMISSIBILITY - CONDITIONS

( EEC TREATY , ART . 30 )

4 . FREE MOVEMENT OF GOODS - QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS - MEASURES HAVING EQUIVALENT EFFECT - RULES ON FUEL PRICES - PROHIBITION - CRITERIA

( EEC TREATY , ART . 30 )

Summary

1 . ALTHOUGH THE RULES LAID DOWN IN ARTICLE 85 ( 1 ) OF THE TREATY ARE CONCERNED WITH THE CONDUCT OF UNDERTAKINGS AND NOT WITH THE NATIONAL LEGISLATION OF MEMBER STATES , THE LATTER ARE NONE THE LESS OBLIGED UNDER THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OF ARTICLE 5 OF THE TREATY NOT TO DETRACT , BY MEANS OF NATIONAL LEGISLATION , FROM THE FULL AND UNIFORM APPLICATION OF COMMUNITY LAW OR FROM THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS IMPLEMENTING MEASURES ; NOR MAY THEY INTRODUCE OR MAINTAIN IN FORCE MEASURES , EVEN OF A LEGISLATIVE NATURE , WHICH MAY RENDER INEFFECTIVE THE COMPETITION RULES APPLICABLE TO UNDERTAKINGS .

2 . ARTICLES 3 ( F ), 5 , 85 AND 86 OF THE EEC TREATY DO NOT PROHIBIT NATIONAL RULES PROVIDING FOR A MINIMUM PRICE TO BE FIXED BY THE NATIONAL AUTHORITIES FOR THE RETAIL SALE OF FUEL .

3 . SYSTEMS OF PRICE CONTROL WHICH APPLY TO DOMESTIC PRODUCTS AND IMPORTED PRODUCTS ALIKE DO NOT IN THEMSELVES CONSTITUTE MEASURES HAVING AN EFFECT EQUIVALENT TO A QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTION BUT MAY HAVE SUCH AN EFFECT WHEN THE PRICES ARE FIXED AT A LEVEL SUCH THAT IMPORTED PRODUCTS ARE PLACED AT A DISADVANTAGE COMPARED TO IDENTICAL DOMESTIC PRODUCTS , EITHER BECAUSE THEY CANNOT PROFITABLY BE MARKETED ON THE CONDITIONS LAID DOWN OR BECAUSE THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE CONFERRED BY LOWER COST PRICES IS CANCELLED OUT .

4 . ARTICLE 30 OF THE EEC TREATY PROHIBITS NATIONAL RULES PROVIDING FOR A MINIMUM PRICE TO BE FIXED BY THE NATIONAL AUTHORITIES FOR THE RETAIL SALE OF FUEL , WHERE THE MINIMUM PRICE IS FIXED ON THE BASIS SOLELY OF THE EX-REFINERY PRICES OF THE NATIONAL REFINERIES AND WHERE THOSE EX-REFINERY PRICES ARE IN TURN LINKED TO THE CEILING PRICE WHICH IS CALCULATED ON THE BASIS SOLELY OF THE COST PRICES OF NATIONAL REFINERIES WHEN THE EUROPEAN FUEL RATES ARE MORE THAN 8% ABOVE OR BELOW THOSE PRICES .