6.2.2007

Official Journal of the European Union

C 26/2

Opinion of the Advisory Committee on restrictive practices and dominant positions given at its 370th meeting on 15 March 2004 concerning a preliminary draft decision in Case COMP/C-3/37.792 — Microsoft

(2007/C 26/02)

The Advisory Committee agrees with the following:

I. QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE INTEROPERABILITY ELEMENT OF THE CASE

A. Market Definition

The Commission's assessment of the relevant product markets as

a)	‘client PC operating systems’; and

b)	‘work group server operating systems’.

2.	The Commission's assessment of the relevant geographic market for both of the above-referenced product markets as world-wide; and

B. Dominant Position

1.	That Microsoft has a ‘dominant position’ in the ‘client PC operating systems’ market for purposes of Article 82 of the EC Treaty and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement.

C. Abuse of a Dominant Position

1.	That Microsoft has abused its dominant position in the relevant market of ‘client PC operating systems’ by refusing to supply its competitors with ‘interoperability information’ which is necessary for them to be able to viably compete in the work group server operating system market.

2.	That Microsoft's refusal to supply interoperability information poses a risk of elimination of competition in the ‘work group server operating systems’ market (where Microsoft has already achieved significant market power) and limits technical development to the prejudice of consumers.

3.	That Microsoft does not have an objective justification for refusing to supply the interoperability information to its competitors.

II. QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE MEDIA PLAYER ELEMENT OF THE CASE

A. Market Definition

The Commission's assessment of the relevant product markets as

a)	‘client PC operating systems’; and

b)	‘streaming media players’.

2.	That ‘client PC operating systems’ and ‘streaming media players’ are separate products.

3.	The Commission's assessment of the relevant geographic market for both of the above-referenced product markets as world-wide.

B. Dominant Position

1.	That Microsoft has a ‘dominant position’ in the ‘client PC operating systems’ market for purposes of Article 82 of the EC Treaty and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement.

C. Abuse of a Dominant Position

1.	That Microsoft has abused its dominant position in the relevant market of client PC operating systems by tying its product ‘Windows Media Player’ with it.

2.	That Microsoft's tying of ‘Windows Media Player’ with its client PC operating system poses a serious risk of foreclosing competition and stifling innovation in the market for media players.

3.	That Microsoft does not have an objective justification for tying its ‘Windows Media Player’ with its client PC operating systems.

III. QUESTIONS COMMON TO BOTH THE INTEROPERABILITY AND THE MEDIA PLAYER ELEMENTS OF THE CASE

A. Effect of Microsoft's actions and/or omissions on trade between the Member States

1.	That the actions and/or omissions attributable to Microsoft in the Commission's Draft Decision appreciably affect trade between the Member States and ‘Contracting Parties’ for purposes of Article 82 of the EC Treaty and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement?

B. Remedies

With regards to the interoperability element of the case:

a)	that the remedy of requiring disclosure of ‘Interoperability Information’ as more fully set forth in the Draft Decision, is appropriate; and

b)	that the mechanism for ensuring implementation and compliance with this remedy is appropriate.

With regards to the media player element of the case,

a)	that the remedy of requiring Microsoft to offer to purchasers a version of its client PC operating system without Windows Media Player, and the means of ensuring the same, is appropriate; and

b)	that the mechanism for ensuring implementation and compliance with this remedy is appropriate.

C. Fines

Serious infringements sufficient for imposition of a fine

a.	That the infringements, as set forth in the Draft Decision, are appropriate for the imposition of a fine;

b.	That Microsoft has committed a very serious infringement of both Article 82 of the EC Treaty and Article 54 of the EEA Agreement; and

c.	That the abuses as set forth in the Draft Decision are EEA-wide in scope for purposes of the calculation of a fine.

Period of time for which fine should be calculated

a.	That the duration of Microsoft's infringements, as set forth in the Draft Decision, is five (5) years and five (5) months

Aggravating or attenuating circumstances

a.	That there are no aggravating or attenuating circumstances that would affect the level of the fine.

IV.	The Advisory Committee asks the Commission to take into account all the other points raised during the discussion.

6.2.2007

Official Journal of the European Union

C 26/5

Final report of the hearing officer in Case COMP/C-3/37.792 — Microsoft

(pursuant to Article 15 of Commission Decision (2001/462/EC, ECSC) of 23 May 2001 on the terms of reference of Hearing Officers in certain competition proceedings — OJ L 162, 19.6.2001, p. 21)

(2007/C 26/04)

The draft decision in this case gives rise to the following observations:

The proceedings and the Statements of Objections

On 10 December 1998, Sun Microsystems Inc (‘Sun’) lodged a complaint under Article 82 against Microsoft Corporation (‘Microsoft’) pursuant to Article 3 of Council Regulation No 17/62 (1), alleging that Microsoft had wrongfully withheld interface information required for interoperability which would ultimately allow Microsoft to extend its dominance in PC operating systems into the closely related market for work group server operating system software. The case opened pursuant to Sun's complaint was registered as Case IV/C-3/37.345.

On 1 August 2000 the Commission sent the first Statement of Objections (SO) to Microsoft in accordance with Article 2 of Regulation No 2842/89 (2). Microsoft replied on 17 November 2000.

In February 2000, the Commission launched an own-initiative investigation into the issue of whether Microsoft had illegally tied its Media Player product to its dominant Windows operating system, which was registered as Case COMP/C-3/37.792.

A second Statement of Objections, which was sent to Microsoft on 30 August 2001, joined the relevant findings set out in the first Statement of Objections to the procedure followed under Case COMP/C-3/37.792. It concerned the issues of interoperability and the incorporation of Windows Media Player in Windows. Microsoft replied on 16 November 2001. They waived their right to an oral hearing.

A third Statement of Objections was received by Microsoft on 6 August 2003. This supplementary Statement of Objections did not cover abusive practices different from those set out in the first and the second Statement of Objections and clarified that its new elements had to be read and understood in the context of the first two Statements of Objections. In particular, it incorporated the findings of a subsequent market enquiry and explained in further detail the remedies envisaged by the Commission.

Microsoft's reply to the Statement of Objections

Microsoft were initially given 8 weeks to reply to the third Statement of Objections, that is until 1 October 2003. They were granted access to the Commission's file on 7 and 8 August 2003. This was the fourth time that Microsoft had been granted access. On 7 September 2003, Microsoft requested an extension of 60 days to the time limit to reply to the Statement of Objections, until 4 December 2003. I considered such a long extension was not merited. However, taking account in particular of the holiday period, I granted an extension of the deadline until 17 October 2003. On 17 October 2003, Microsoft duly replied to the third Statement of Objections.

Microsoft asked to be allowed to submit additional material in the form of survey information and analysis by the economic consultant firms Mercer and NERA. Microsoft was permitted to submit the additional material by 31 October 2003, under condition that it provided the Commission with the underlying raw data of the survey before filing its economic submission. Microsoft complied with this condition and duly submitted the Mercer and NERA reports on 31 October.

The participation of third parties in the proceeding; mutual transmission of information

As a formal complainant, Sun was provided with a non-confidential version of the Statements of Objections.

In addition to Sun, a large number of other third parties actively participated in the procedure and were granted the status of interested third parties.

The third parties were provided with the non-confidential version of all three Statements of Objections and Microsoft's replies. Their written submissions were sent to Microsoft for comment. In view of the mutual transmission of all main documents between parties and third parties, the case has been hallmarked by a high degree of transparency as between the various parties concerned.

By letter of 4 November 2003, Microsoft requested me to rule that a paper and two reports by the complainant and a third party, which the Commission had forwarded to Microsoft on 3 November, should not be submitted or referred to at the oral Hearing. I did not grant this request on the basis that the reports related to the case at issue, but I informed participants at the hearing that Microsoft had not yet had sufficient opportunity to comment formally on these documents.

The oral hearing

In its written response to the third Statement of Objections, Microsoft requested an oral hearing.

The oral hearing took place on 12, 13 and 14 November 2003. In addition to Microsoft, the complainant and eight interested third parties attended. In order to provide Microsoft with ample opportunity to develop their arguments orally, the first one and a half days were reserved for their presentation. The complainant and the interested third parties were given between 30 minutes and two hours each to submit their observations. Finally, Microsoft took advantage of the opportunity to comment on third parties' observations at the oral hearing and also subsequently in writing.

During the oral hearing, a third party (RealNetworks) intended to refute Microsoft's assertion that Microsoft's Windows operating system did not work properly without the functionalities of Windows Media Player. Its presentation gave rise to a difference of opinion as to whether RealNetworks had removed the binary code of the Windows Media Player application entirely from Windows. In order to examine the accuracy of RealNetworks' presentation, the Commission invited Microsoft and RealNetworks to its premises in Brussels. On 23 January 2004 RealNetworks repeated its presentation on a laptop in the presence of representatives of the Commission and Microsoft. Microsoft was provided with this computer for further verification and commented on 6 February 2004.

The Commission's letter of 16 January 2004

On 16 January 2004, Microsoft was granted further access to the file. On the same day, the Commission sent a letter to Microsoft. Its purpose was to avoid misunderstandings as to the conclusions the Commission would draw with respect to a number of documents and evidence from the oral hearing which had been placed on the file. To this aim, the documents and evidence as well as the respective conclusions drawn by the Commission were listed in an annex attached to the letter. Furthermore, in reaction to Microsoft's response to the third Statement of Objections, the Commission's letter of 16 January 2004 pointed to the correct interpretation of the objections raised in the field of interoperability. Microsoft was afforded the opportunity to comment on both aspects of this letter until 30 January 2004.

By letters of 24 and 27 January, Microsoft took the view that the letter of 16 January 2004 contained a number of new elements and that it might, therefore, constitute a new and unacknowledged Statement of Objections. Microsoft also requested an indication as to which paragraphs in the Statement of Objections the conclusions in the annex to the Commission's letter of 16 January related and asked for an extension of the time to reply until 13 February 2004. Microsoft was provided with the requested indications on 27 January 2003. By letters of 30 January and 5 February I extended the deadline for Microsoft to comment until 8 February 2004.

Microsoft submitted their comments on the annex of the Commission's letter of 16 January on 7 February 2004. They stated that the letter of 16 January contained new objections. Furthermore, Microsoft requested confirmation that their comments would be taken into account.

By letters of 30 January and 20 February 2004 I took the view that the Commission's letter of 16 January 2004 had unmistakeably been designed to ensure Microsoft's correct understanding of the objections raised in the field of interoperability as well as of the conclusions that the Commission might draw with respect to certain documents in the file. Therefore, I did not share Microsoft's opinion that this letter constituted an unacknowledged new Statement of Objections. However, in my letter of 20 February, I confirmed that the substance of Microsoft's response would of course be taken into account by the Commission.

In the course of the proceeding, some of the objections raised in the second Statement of Objections have been dropped, namely those referred to as technological leveraging, discriminatory licensing and abusive licensing policy.

In the light of the above, I consider that the right to be heard of Microsoft and of the third parties has been respected in the present case.

Brussels, 18 March 2004

Karen WILLIAMS

(1) Regulation No 17 of the Council of 6 February 1962, First Regulation implementing Articles 85 and 86 of the EC Treaty (OJ L 13, 21.2.1962, p. 204)

(2) Regulation No 2842/89/EEC of the Commission of 22 December 1998 on the hearing of parties in certain proceedings under Article 85 and 86 of the EC Treaty ( OJ L 354, 30.12.1998, pp. 18-21).

6.2.2007

Official Journal of the European Union

C 26/8

Updated list of customs offices (1) in which products listed in Annex I of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1635/2006 (2) may be declared for free circulation in the European Community

(2007/C 26/05)

Member State

Customs offices

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

Anvers DE — voie maritime

Bierset — (Grâce-Hollogne) DE — voies aérienne et/ou terrestre

Bruxelles DE — voie aérienne

Zaventem D — voie aérienne

БЪЛГАРИЯ

Varna and Bourgas ports

Sofia, Varna and Bourgas airports

ČESKÁ REPUBLIKA

All customs offices

DANMARK

Every port and airport in Denmark

DEUTSCHLAND

Baden-Württemberg

HZA Lörrach — ZA Weil-am-Rhein-Autobahn

HZA Stuttgart — ZA Flughafen

HZA Ulm — ZA Aalen

Bayern

HZA München — ZA Flughafen

HZA Regensburg — ZA Furth-im-Wald-Schafberg

HZA Schweinfurt — ZA Bayreuth

HZA Nürnberg — ZA Erlangen — Tennenlohe

Berlin

HZA Berlin — ZA Marzahn

HZA Potsdam — ZA Berlin-Flughafen-Tegel

Brandenburg

Bereich HZA Frankfurt (Oder)

HZA Frankfurt (Oder) — ZA Frankfurt (Oder) Autobahn

HZA Frankfurt (Oder) — ZA Forst-Autobahn

Bereich HZA Potsdam

HZA Potsdam — ZA Berlin-Flughafen Schönefeld

Bremen

HZA Bremen — ZA Neustädter Hafen

HZA Bremerhaven — ZA Bremerhaven

Hamburg

HZA Hamburg-Hafen — ZA Waltershof — Abfertigung Köhlfleetdamm

HZA Hamburg-Stadt — ZA Oberelbe

HZA Hamburg-Hafen — ZA Waltershof

HZA Itzehoe — ZA Hamburg-Flughafen

Hessen

HZA Frankfurt-am-Main-Flughafen

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

HZA Stralsund — ZA Pomellen

HZA Stralsund — ZA Rostock

Niedersachsen

HZA Hannover — ZA Hamburger Allee

HZA Braunschweig — ZA Braunschweig-Broitzem

Nordrhein-Westfalen

HZA Dortmund — ZA Ost

HZA Düsseldorf — ZA Flughafen

Rheinland-Pfalz

HZA Koblenz — ZA Idar-Oberstein, Grenzkontrollstelle Flughafen Hahn

Schleswig-Holstein

HZA Kiel — ZA Wik, Grenzkontrollstelle Kiel Ostuferhafen

HZA Kiel — ZA Travemünde

EESTI

Narva, Koidula ja Luhamaa piiripunktid, Tallinna Lennujaam, Tallinna, Paljassaare ja Muuga sadamad

ΕΛΛΑΔΑ

Αθηνών, Πειραιά, Κρατικού Αερολιμένα Αθηνών, Θεσσαλονίκης, Αερολιμένα Μίκρας, Βόλου, Πατρών, Ηρακλείου, Αερολιμένα Ηρακλείου Κρήτης, Καβάλας, Ιωαννίνων, Ναυπλίου

ESPAÑA

Barcelona (aeropuerto, puerto, carretera), Irún (carretera), La Junquera (carretera), Madrid (aeropuerto)

FRANCE

Dunkerque (transport maritime)

Lille (transport aérien et terrestre)

Marseille (transport aérien, terrestre et maritime)

Roissy (transport aérien et terrestre)

Saint-Louis/Bâle (transport aérien et terrestre)

Strasbourg (transport terrestre)

Orly (transport aérien)

Bordeaux (transport aérien)

Lyon-Satolas (transport aérien)

Nice-aéroport (transport aérien)

Toulouse-Blagnac (transport aérien)

Thionville (transport terrestre)

Saint-Julien-en-Genevois (transport terrestre)

Brive (transport terrestre)

Le Puy-en-Velay (transport terrestre)

Valence (transport terrestre)

IRELAND

All customs offices

ITALIA

Ufficio di Sanità marittima ed aerea di Trieste

Ufficio di Sanità aerea di Torino — Caselle

Ufficio di Sanità aerea di Roma — Fiumicino

Ufficio di Sanità marittima ed aerea di Venezia

Ufficio di Sanità marittima ed aerea di Genova

Ufficio di Sanità marittima di Livorno

Ufficio di Sanità marittima ed aerea di Ancona

Ufficio di Sanità marittima ed aerea di Brindisi

Ufficio di Sanità aerea di Varese — Malpensa

Ufficio di Sanità aerea di Bologna — Panicale

Ufficio di Sanità marittima ed aerea di Bari

Posto d'Ispezione frontaliera di Chiasso

ΚΥΠΡΟΣ

All customs offices

LATVIJA

Roads: Grebneva, Pãternieki, Terehova; Railways: Daugavpils, Rēzekne-2; Seaports: Liepāja, Rīga, Ventspils; Airport: Rīga; Post: Rīga International branch of the Latvian Post Office

LIETUVA

All customs offices

LUXEMBOURG

Bureau des Douanes et Accises Centre douanier — Luxembourg

Bureau des Douanes et Accises Luxembourg-Aéroport — Niederanven

MAGYARORSZÁG

All customs offices

MALTE

The Air Freight Section at Malte International Airport, Luqa

The Sea Freight Entry Processing Unit at Customs House, Valletta

The Parcel Post Office at Customs Office, Qormi

NEDERLAND

All customs offices

ÖSTERREICH

Nickelsdorf

Heiligenkreuz

Spielfeld

Tissis

Wien — Flughafen Schwechat

POLSKA

Biała Podlaska, Białystok, Cieszyn, Gdynia, Katowice, Kraków, Łódź, Nowy Targ, Olsztyn, Poznań, Przemyśl, Rzepin, Szczecin, Toruń, Warszawa, Warszawa Air-Port, Wrocław

PORTUGAL

Aeroportos de Lisboa, Porto e Faro

Portos de Lisboa e Leixões

ROMÂNIA

Border Inspection Posts:

Arad with customs office Nadlac;

Bihor with customs offices Bors and Episcopia Bihor;

Constanta with customs offices Constanta Nord and Constanta Sud;

Dolj with customs offices Bechet, Calafat;

Giurgiu with customs offices Autostrada, Giurgiu Ruse;

Iasi with customs offices Sculeni, Cristesti;

Otopeni with customs offices Henry Coanda, Gara de Nord, Baneasa;

Satu Mare with customs office Halmeu;

Suceava with customs office Siret;

Timis with custom office Stamora Moravita;

Tulcea with customs office Tulcea;

Vaslui with customs office Albita.

SLOVENIJA

Obrežje (road border crossing), Koper (port border crossing), Dobova (railway border crossing), Gruškovje (road border crossing), Jelšane (road border crossing), Brnik (air border crossing), Ljubljana (road and railway)

SLOVENSKO

All customs offices

SUOMI — FINLAND

Helsinki, Vaalimaa, Niirala, Vartius, Raja-Jooseppi, Utsjoki, Kilpisjärvi

SVERIGE

Arlanda, Göteborg, Landvetter, Helsingborg, Karlskrona, Stockholm, Ystad, Karlshamn

UNITED KINGDOM

Belfast International Airport, Port of Belfast, Port of Dover, Port of Falmouth, Port of Felixstowe, Gatwick Airport, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Manchester Airport, Port of Hull and Goole, Port of London, Port of Southampton

(1) The updating is shown in italic letters

(2) OJ L 306, 7.11.2006, p. 3.

6.2.2007

Official Journal of the European Union

C 26/11

Information procedure — Technical rules

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2007/C 26/06)

Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations and of rules on Information Society services. (OJ L 204, 21.7.1998, p. 37; OJ L 217, 5.8.1998, p. 18).

Notification of draft national technical rules received by the Commission

Reference (1)

Title

End of three-month standstill period (2)

2006/0640/A

Act amending the Viennese Act on fire authorities and air pollution control

12.3.2007

2006/0641/NL

I.	Decree amending the Vehicle Regulation in respect of a number of points of diverse natures;

II.

Regulation amending the Regulation on requirements for individual approval and the Regulation on structural modification in connection with an amendment of the requirements pertaining to certain categories of motor vehicles, and also amending the Regulation on permanent requirements in connection with provisions applying to vehicles with frontal protection systems

13.3.2007

2006/0642/NL

Decree laying down rules of an administrative and technical nature for the implementation of the Act on awareness of immovable property restrictions under public law (Implementing Decree for the Act on awareness of immovable property restrictions under public law)

13.3.2007

2006/0643/DK

Draft Act amending the Act on a tax on mineral water etc. and the Packaging Tax Act (reduction of mineral water tax and packaging tax for spring water bottles)

(4)

2006/0644/S

Order on producer responsibility for certain radioactive products and orphan radioactive sources

14.3.2007

2006/0645/UK

The Measuring Devices (Noise Act 1996) (Wales) Approval 2007

15.3.2007

2006/0646/NL

Regulation by the Secretary of State for Housing, Planning and the Environment regulating the designation of investments that are in the interest of the Dutch environment (Designation Regulation on the random depreciation of and investment allowance for environmental investments 2007)

(4)

2006/0647/UK

The Smoke-free (Signs) Regulations 2007

16.3.2007

2006/0648/SI

TSC 02.210 Safety Barriers — Conditions and mode of installation

16.3.2007

2006/0649/HU

Chapter VIII of draft Regulation on the amendment of certain finance-related acts, Amendment to Act CX of 2003 on Registration Tax, the relevant final provisions thereof and Annex 4

(4)

2006/0650/DK

Danish radio interface No 00 056 for low power ultra-wideband (UWB) radio equipment operating in the frequency bands 4.2 — 4,8 GHz and 6,0 — 8,5 GHz

20.3.2007

2006/0651/E

Draft Decree adopting the Regulation on amusement and gaming machines of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia

20.3.2007

2006/0652/EE

List of measuring instruments subject to compulsory metrological inspection, important and special requirements for measuring instruments, including accuracy requirements, and verification validity periods for measuring instruments

20.3.2007

2006/0653/I

Decree of the Director-General of the Autonomous State Monopolies Administration on Technical Regulations on ‘Eliminating cases of games, lotteries, betting games or games of chance with cash winnings offered via telecommunications networks without authorisation’

20.3.2007

2006/0654/HU

Draft Regulation issued by the Minister for Finance amending Regulation 8/2004 (III. 10.) PM by the Minister for Finance on the enforcement of certain provisions of Act CXXVII of 2003 on the specific rules on income tax and the distribution of income generating goods

(4)

2006/0655/NL

Regulation by the Minister for Economic Affairs of (...) No WJZ (...), amending the Regulation on guarantees of origin for sustainable electricity and the Regulation on total energy certificates under the Electricity Act 1998 relating to the introduction of a definition for production installation

(4)

2006/0656/NL

Draft Regulation by the Minister for Housing, Planning and the Environment amending the Regulation on land registry fees (amending of fees relating to the difference between total or partial automatic updating of the land register and laying down fees for new products)

22.3.2007

2006/0657/B

Royal Decree on standard weights of 100 kg to 5 000 kg used for testing and inspecting weighing instruments

22.3.2007

2006/0658/D

Draft State Treaty regarding gambling in Germany

22.3.2007

2006/0659/F

Adjustments to tax credits for the purchase or hire of certain motor vehicles

(4)

2006/0660/F

Defining a system conducive to the development of superethanol E85

(4)

2006/0661/DK

Draft Act amending the Chocolate Tax Act, the Registration Tax Act and various other tax acts (amendment of the financial levy, the raw materials tax and the tax on coffee and tea and extension of the tax exemptions for electrically-powered vehicles)

(4)

2006/0662/DK

Danish Radio Interface No 00 007 for low-power radio equipment for local area networks in the 5 GHz frequency band

22.3.2007

2006/0663/DK

Order regulating air pollution from certain fixed energy-producing installations (Wood Burner Order)

22.3.2007

2006/0664/D

Amendments to Building Regulation List A, Parts 1 to 3, Building Regulation List B, Part 1 and List C for the 2007/1 edition

23.3.2007

2006/0665/DK

Notices from the Danish Maritime Authority B. Technical Regulation on the construction and equipment of ships

23.3.2007

2006/0666/A

Order of the Head of the Provincial Government, enacting measures for certain construction machinery and site equipment with combustion engines

23.3.2007

2006/0667/S

Order on precautionary measures for the cultivation and transport, etc., of genetically modified crops

29.3.2007

2006/0668/S

Administrative provisions amending the National Food Administration's administrative provisions (LIVSFS 2005:20) on the hygiene of foodstuffs

29.3.2007

The Commission draws attention to the judgement delivered on 30 April 1996 in the ‘CIA Security’ case (C-194/94 — ECR I, p. 2201), in which the Court of Justice ruled that Articles 8 and 9 of Directive 98/34/EC (formerly 83/189/EEC) are to be interpreted as meaning that individuals may rely on them before national courts which must decline to apply a national technical regulation which has not been notified in accordance with the Directive.

This judgement confirms the Commission's communication of 1 October 1986 (OJ C 245, 1.10.1986, p.4).

Accordingly, breach of the obligation to notify renders the technical regulations concerned inapplicable, and consequently unenforceable against individuals.

For more information on the notification procedure, please write to:

European Commission

DG Enterprise and Industry, Unit C3

B-1049 Brussels

e-mail: dir83-189-central@ec.europa.eu

Also consult the website: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tris/

If you require any further information on these notifications, please contact the national departments listed below:

LIST OF NATIONAL DEPARTMENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF DIRECTIVE 98/34/EC

BELGIUM

BELNotif

Qualité et Sécurité

SPF Economie, PME, Classes moyennes et Energie

NG III — 4ème étage

boulevard du Roi Albert II /16

B-1000 Bruxelles

Ms Pascaline Descamps

Tel.: (32) 2 277 80 03

Fax: (32) 2 277 54 01

E-mail: pascaline.descamps@mineco.fgov.be

paolo.caruso@mineco.fgov.be

General e-mail: belnotif@mineco.fgov.be

Website: http://www.mineco.fgov.be

BULGARIA

National Enquiry Point/TBT

State Agency for Metrology and Technical Surveillance

21, 6th September Street

BG-1000 Sofia

Ms Violetta Veleva

Tel.: (359) 2 981 44 51

Fax: (359) 2 986 17 07

E-mail: intldiv@sasm.orbitel.bg

CZECH REPUBLIC

Czech Office for Standards, Metrology and Testing

Gorazdova 24

PO Box 49

CZ-128 01 Praha 2

Mr Miroslav Chloupek

Director of International Relations Department

Tel.: (420) 224 907 123

Fax: (420) 224 914 990

E-mail: chloupek@unmz.cz

Ms Lucie Růžičková

Tel.: (420) 224 907 139

Fax: (420) 224 907 122

E-mail: ruzickova@unmz.cz

General e-mail: eu9834@unmz.cz

Website: http://www.unmz.cz

DENMARK

Erhvervs- og Byggestyrelsen

(National Agency for Enterprise and Construction)

Dahlerups Pakhus

Langelinie Allé 17

DK-2100 København Ø

Mr Bjarne Bang Christensen

Legal adviser

Tel.: (45) 35 46 63 66 (direct)

E-mail: bbc@ebst.dk

Ms Birgit Jensen

Principal Executive Officer

Tel.: (45) 35 46 62 87 (direct)

Fax: (45) 35 46 62 03

E-mail: bij@ebst.dk

Ms Pernille Hjort Engstrøm

Head of Section

Tel.: (45) 35 46 63 35 (direct)

E-mail: phe@ebst.dk

Common mailbox for notification messages — noti@ebst.dk

Website: http://www.ebst.dk/Notifikationer

GERMANY

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie

Referat EA3

Scharnhorststr. 34 — 37

D-10115 Berlin

Ms Christina Jäckel

Tel.: (49) 30 2014 6353

Fax: (49) 30 2014 5379

E-mail: infonorm@bmwa.bund.de

Website: http://www.bmwa.bund.de

ESTONIA

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications

Harju str. 11

EE-15072 Tallinn

Mr Karl Stern

Executive Officer of Trade Policy Division

EU and International Cooperation Department

Tel.: (372) 6 256 405

Fax: (372) 6 313 029

E-mail: karl.stern@mkm.ee

General e-mail: el.teavitamine@mkm.ee

Website: http://www.mkm.ee

IRELAND

NSAI

Glasnevin

Dublin 9

Ireland

Mr Tony Losty

Tel.: (353) 1 807 38 80

Fax: (353) 1 807 38 38

E-mail: tony.losty@nsai.ie

Website: http://www.nsai.ie

GREECE

Ministry of Development

General Secretariat of Industry

Mesogeion 119

GR-101 92 ATHENS

Tel.: (30) 210 696 98 63

Fax: (30) 210 696 91 06

ELOT

Acharnon 313

GR-111 45 ATHENS

Ms Evangelia Alexandri

Tel.: (30) 210 212 03 01

Fax: (30) 210 228 62 19

E-mail: alex@elot.gr

General e-mail: 83189in@elot.gr

Website: http://www.elot.gr

SPAIN

S.G. de Asuntos Industriales, Energéticos, de Transportes y Comunicaciones y de Medio Ambiente

D.G. de Coordinación del Mercado Interior y otras PPCC

Secretaría de Estado para la Unión Europea

Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperación

Torres 'Ágora'

C/ Serrano Galvache, 26-4a

E-20033 Madrid

Mr Angel Silván Torregrosa

Tel.: (34) 91 379 83 32

Ms Esther Pérez Peláez

Technical Advisor

E-mail: esther.perez@ue.mae.es

Tel.: (34) 91 379 84 64

Fax: (34) 91 379 84 01

General e-mail: d83-189@ue.mae.es

FRANCE

Délégation interministérielle aux normes

Direction générale de l'Industrie, des Technologies de l'information et des Postes (DiGITIP)

Service des politiques d'innovation et de compétitivité (SPIC)

Sous-direction de la normalisation, de la qualité et de la propriété industrielle (SQUALPI)

DiGITIP 5

12, rue Villiot

F-75572 Paris Cedex 12

Ms Suzanne Piau

Tel.: (33) 1 53 44 97 04

Fax: (33) 1 53 44 98 88

E-mail: suzanne.piau@industrie.gouv.fr

Ms Françoise Ouvrard

Tel.: (33) 1 53 44 97 05

Fax: (33) 1 53 44 98 88

E-mail: francoise.ouvrard@industrie.gouv.fr

General e-mail: d9834.france@industrie.gouv.fr

ITALY

Ministero dello sviluppo economico

Direzione Generale per lo sviluppo produttivo e la competitività

Ufficio F1 — Ispettorato tecnico dell'industria

Via Molise 2

I-00187 Roma

Mr Vincenzo Correggia

Tel.: (39) 06 47 05 22 05

Fax: (39) 06 47 88 78 05

E-mail: vincenzo.correggia@attivitaproduttive.gov.it

Mr Enrico Castiglioni

Tel.: (39) 06 47 05 26 69

Fax: (39) 06 47 88 78 05

E-mail: enrico.castiglioni@attivitaproduttive.gov.it

General e-mail: ucn98.34.italia@attivitaproduttive.gov.it

Website: http://www.attivitaproduttive.gov.it

CYPRUS

Cyprus Organisation for the Promotion of Quality

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism

13-15, A. Araouzou street

1421 Nicosia

Cyprus

Tel.: (357) 22 409310

Fax: (357) 22 754103

Mr Antonis Ioannou

Tel.: (357) 22 409409

Fax: (357) 22 754103

E-mail: aioannou@cys.mcit.gov.cy

General e-mail: dir9834@cys.mcit.gov.cy

Website: http://www.cys.mcit.gov.cy

LATVIA

Ministry of Economics of Republic of Latvia

55, Brīvības Street

LV-1519 Riga

Mr Dainis Matulis

Head of EU Internal Market Coordination Division

Tel.: (371) 7013143

Fax: (371) 7280882

E-mail: dainis.matulis@em.gov.lv

General e-mail: notification@em.gov.lv

LITHUANIA

Lithuanian Standards Board

T. Kosciuskos g. 30

LT-01100 Vilnius

Ms Daiva Lesickiene

Tel.: (370) 5 2709347

Fax: (370) 5 2709367

E-mail: dir9834@lsd.lt

Website: http://www.lsd.lt

LUXEMBURG

SEE — Service de l'Energie de l'Etat

34, avenue de la Porte-Neuve B.P. 10

L-2010 Luxembourg

Mr J.P. Hoffmann

Tel.: (352) 46 97 46 1

Fax: (352) 22 25 24

E-mail: see.direction@eg.etat.lu

Website: http://www.see.lu

HUNGARY

Hungarian Notification Centre

Ministry of Economy and Transport

Industrial Department

Honvéd u. 13-15.

H-1880 Budapest

Mr Zsolt Fazekas

Leading Councillor

E-mail: fazekas.zsolt@gkm.gov.hu

Tel.: (36) 1 374 2873

Fax: (36) 1 473 1622

E-mail: notification@gkm.gov.hu

Website: http://www.gkm.hu/dokk/main/gkm

MALTA

Malta Standards Authority

Level 2

Evans Building

Merchants Street

Valletta VLT 03

Malta

Tel.: (356) 2124 2420

Tel.: (356) 2124 3282

Fax: (356) 2124 2406

General e-mail: notification@msa.org.mt

Website: http://www.msa.org.mt

NETHERLANDS

Ministerie van Financiën

Belastingsdienst/Douane Noord

Team bijzondere klantbehandeling

Centrale Dienst voor In-en uitvoer

Engelse Kamp 2

Postbus 30003

9700 RD Groningen

Nederland

Mr Ebel van der Heide

Tel.: (31) 50 5 23 21 34

Ms Hennie Boekema

Tel.: (31) 50 5 23 21 35

Ms Tineke Elzer

Tel.: (31) 50 5 23 21 33

Fax: (31) 50 5 23 21 59

General e-mail:

Enquiry.Point@tiscali-business.nl

Enquiry.Point2@tiscali-business.nl

AUSTRIA

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit

Abteilung C2/1

Stubenring 1

A-1010 Wien

Ms Brigitte Wikgolm

Tel.: (43) 1 711 00 58 96

Fax: (43) 1 715 96 51 or (43) 1 712 06 80

E-mail: not9834@bmwa.gv.at

Website: http://www.bmwa.gv.at

POLAND

Ministry of Economy

Department for Economic Regulations

Plac Trzech Krzyży 3/5

PL-00-570 Warszawa

Ms Barbara H. Kozłowska

Tel.: (48) 22 693 54 07

Fax: (48) 22 693 40 25

E-mail: barbara.kozlowska@mg.gov.pl

Ms Agata Gągor

Tel.: (48) 22 693 56 90

General e-mail: notyfikacja@mg.gov.pl

Website: http://www.mg.gov.pl

PORTUGAL

Instituto Portugês da Qualidade

Rua Antonio Gião, 2

P-2829-513 Costa de Caparica

Ms Cândida Pires

Tel.: (351) 21 294 82 36 or 81 00

Fax: (351) 21 294 82 23

E-mail: c.pires@mail.ipq.pt

General e-mail: not9834@mail.ipq.pt

Website: http://www.ipq.pt

ROMANIA

Ministry of Economy and Commerce

Division for Internal Market

152 Calea Victoriei Street

RO-010096 Bucharest

Mr Răzvan Cuc

Tel.: 40 21 202 52 42

Fax: 40 21 202 52 45

E-mail: razvan_cuc@minind.ro

SLOVENIA

SIST — Slovenian Institute for Standardisation

Contact point for 98/34/EC and WTO-TBT Enquiry Point

Šmartinska 140

SLO-1000 Ljubljana

Ms Vesna Stražišar

Tel.: (386) 1 478 3041

Fax: (386) 1 478 3098

E-mail: contact@sist.si

SLOVAKIA

Ms Kvetoslava Steinlová

Director of the Department of European Integration,

Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing of the Slovak Republic

Štefanovičova 3

814 39 Bratislava

Slovak Republic

Tel.: (421) 2 5249 3521

Fax: (421) 2 5249 1050

E-mail: steinlova@normoff.gov.sk

FINLAND

Kauppa-ja teollisuusministeriö

(Ministry of Trade and Industry)

Visitor address:

Aleksanterinkatu 4

FIN-00171 Helsinki

and

Katakatu 3

FIN-00120 Helsinki

Postal address:

PO Box 32

FIN-00023 Government

Ms Leila Orava

Tel.: (358) 9 86.46.1606

Fax: (358) 9 22.46.1606

E-mail: leila.orava@ktm.fi

Ms Katri Amper

Tel.: (358) 9 48.46.1606

General e-mail: maaraykset.tekniset@ktm.fi

Website: http://www.ktm.fi

SWEDEN

Kommerskollegium

(National Board of Trade)

Box 6803

Drottninggatan 89

S–113 86 Stockholm

Ms Kerstin Carlsson

Tel.: (46) 86 90 48 82 or (46) 86 90 48 00

Fax: (46) 8 690 48 40 or (46) 83 06 759

E-mail: kerstin.carlsson@kommers.se

General e-mail: 9834@kommers.se

Website: http://www.kommers.se

UNITED KINGDOM

Department of Trade and Industry

Office of Science and Innovation

151 Buckingham Palace Road

London SW1 W 9SS

United Kingdom

Mr Philip Plumb

Tel.: (44) 2072151488

Fax: (44) 2072151529

E-mail: philip.plumb@dti.gsi.gov.uk

General e-mail: 9834@dti.gsi.gov.uk

Website:

http://www.dti.gov.uk/innovation/strd/activity/page12097.html

EFTA — ESA

EFTA Surveillance Authority

Rue Belliard 35

B-1040 Bruxelles

Ms Adinda Batsleer

Tel.: (32) 2 286 18 61

Fax: (32) 2 286 18 00

E-mail: aba@eftasurv.int

Ms Tuija Ristiluoma

Tel.: (32) 2 286 18 71

Fax: (32) 2 286 18 00

E-mail: tri@eftasurv.int

General e-mail: DRAFTTECHREGESA@eftasurv.int

Website: http://www.eftasurv.int

EFTA

Goods Unit

EFTA Secretariat

Rue Joseph II 12-16

B-1000 Bruxelles

Ms Kathleen Byrne

Tel.: (32) 2 286 17 49

Fax: (32) 2 286 17 42

E-mail: kathleen.byrne@efta.int

General e-mail: DRAFTTECHREGEFTA@efta.int

Website: http://www.efta.int

TURKEY

Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade

General Directorate of Standardisation for Foreign Trade

Inönü Bulvari no 36

06510 Emek/Ankara

Turkey

Mr Mehmet Comert

Tel.: (90) 312 212 58 98

Fax: (90) 312 212 87 68

E-mail: comertm@dtm.gov.tr

Website: http://www.dtm.gov.tr

(1) Year — registration number — Member State of origin.

(2) Period during which the draft may not be adopted.

(3) No standstill period since the Commission accepts the grounds of urgent adoption invoked by the notifying Member State.

(4) No standstill period since the measure concerns technical specifications or other requirements or rules on services linked to fiscal or financial measures, pursuant to the third indent of the second paragraph of Article 1(11) of Directive 98/34/EC.

(5) Information procedure closed.

		ISSN 1725-2423
Official Journal of the European Union		C 26

English edition	Information and Notices	Volume 50 6 February 2007

Notice No	Contents	page
	IV Notices
	NOTICES FROM EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES
	Commission
2007/C 026/01	Euro exchange rates	1

2007/C 026/02	Opinion of the Advisory Committee on restrictive practices and dominant positions given at its 370th meeting on 15 March 2004 concerning a preliminary draft decision in Case COMP/C-3/37.792 — Microsoft	2

2007/C 026/03	Opinion of the Advisory Committee on restrictive practices and dominant positions given at its 371st meeting on 22 March 2004 concerning a preliminary draft decision in Case COMP/C-3/37.792 — Microsoft	4

2007/C 026/04	Final report of the hearing officer in Case COMP/C-3/37.792 — Microsoft (pursuant to Article 15 of Commission Decision (2001/462/EC, ECSC) of 23 May 2001 on the terms of reference of Hearing Officers in certain competition proceedings — OJ L 162, 19.6.2001, p. 21)	5

	NOTICES FROM MEMBER STATES
2007/C 026/05	Updated list of customs offices in which products listed in Annex I of Commission Regulation (EC) No 1635/2006 may be declared for free circulation in the European Community	8

2007/C 026/06	Information procedure — Technical rules ( 1 )	11

	V Announcements
	ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
	Commission
2007/C 026/07	Call for proposals 2007 on Critical Infrastructure Protection (EPCIP)	19

	PROCEDURES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPETITION POLICY
	Commission
2007/C 026/08	Re-notification of a previously notified concentration (Case COMP/M.4504 — SFR/TELE2 France) ( 1 )	20

	Currency	Exchange rate
USD	US dollar	1,2925
JPY	Japanese yen	155,85
DKK	Danish krone	7,4539
GBP	Pound sterling	0,66115
SEK	Swedish krona	9,1163
CHF	Swiss franc	1,6170
ISK	Iceland króna	88,57
NOK	Norwegian krone	8,1200
BGN	Bulgarian lev	1,9558
CYP	Cyprus pound	0,5791
CZK	Czech koruna	28,138
EEK	Estonian kroon	15,6466
HUF	Hungarian forint	254,65
LTL	Lithuanian litas	3,4528
LVL	Latvian lats	0,6965
MTL	Maltese lira	0,4293
PLN	Polish zloty	3,8785
RON	Romanian leu	3,3850
SKK	Slovak koruna	34,799
TRY	Turkish lira	1,8190
AUD	Australian dollar	1,6683
CAD	Canadian dollar	1,5312
HKD	Hong Kong dollar	10,0924
NZD	New Zealand dollar	1,8966
SGD	Singapore dollar	1,9833
KRW	South Korean won	1 209,46
ZAR	South African rand	9,3502
CNY	Chinese yuan renminbi	10,0310
HRK	Croatian kuna	7,3850
IDR	Indonesian rupiah	11 716,51
MYR	Malaysian ringgit	4,5247
PHP	Philippine peso	62,900
RUB	Russian rouble	34,3130
THB	Thai baht	44,656