1.   For the period 29 October 2004 to 31 December 2006, in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement in the form of an Exchange of Letters between the European Community and the Republic of Moldova establishing a double-checking system without quantitative limits in respect of the export of certain steel products from the Republic of Moldova to the European Community, imports into the Community of certain steel products originating in the Republic of Moldova, as listed in Annex I, shall be subject to the presentation of a surveillance document conforming to the model shown in Annex II issued by the authorities in the Community.

2.   For the period referred to in paragraph 1, imports into the Community of the steel products originating in the Republic of Moldova and listed in Annex I shall, in addition, be subject to the issue of an export document issued by the competent Moldovan authorities. The export document shall conform to the model shown in Annex III. It shall be valid for exports throughout the customs territory of the Community. In order to obtain the surveillance document referred to in paragraph 1, the importer must present the original of the export document fully completed. In any case, the importer must present the original of the export document not later than 31 March of the year following that in which the goods covered by the document were shipped.

3.   The classification of the products covered by this Regulation is based on the tariff and statistical nomenclature of the Community (hereinafter referred to as the CN). The origin of the products covered by this Regulation shall be determined in accordance with the rules in force in the Community.

4.   The competent authorities of the Community shall inform the Republic of Moldova of any amendments in the CN in respect of products covered by this Regulation before the date of entry into force of such amendments in the Community.

5.   Goods shipped before the 29 October 2004 shall be excluded from the scope of this Regulation. Shipment is considered to have taken place on the date of loading on to the exporting means of transport.

1.   The surveillance document referred to in Article 1 shall be issued automatically by the competent authority in the Member States, without charge for any quantities requested, within five working days of presentation of an application by any Community importer, wherever established in the Community. This application shall be deemed to have been received by the competent national authority no later than three working days after submission, unless it is proven otherwise.

2.   A surveillance document issued by one of the competent national authorities listed in Annex IV shall be valid throughout the Community.

3.   The importer’s application for a surveillance document shall include the following elements:

The importer shall also submit a copy of the contract of sale or purchase, the pro forma invoice and/or, in cases where the goods are not directly purchased in the country of production, a certificate of production issued by the producing steel mill.

4.   Surveillance documents may be used only for such time as arrangements for the liberalisation of imports remain in force in respect of the transactions concerned. Without prejudice to possible changes in the import regulations in force or decisions taken in the framework of an agreement or the management of a quota:

5.   The importer shall return surveillance documents to the issuing authority at the end of their period of validity.

1.   A finding that the unit price at which the transaction is effected exceeds that indicated in the import document by less than 5 % or that the total value or quantity of the products presented for import exceeds the value or quantity given in the import document by less than 5 % shall not preclude the release for free circulation of the products in question.

2.   Applications for import documents and the documents themselves shall be confidential. They shall be restricted to the competent authorities and the applicant.

1.   Within the first 10 days of each month, the Member States shall communicate to the Commission:

The information provided by Member States shall be broken down by product, CN code and by country.

2.   The Member States shall give notification of any anomalies or cases of fraud which they discover and, where relevant, the basis on which they have refused to grant an import document.

1.   The Commission shall be assisted by a committee.

2.   Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and 7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply.

The period laid down in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be set at three months.

3.   The Committee shall adopt its rules of procedure.