COUNCIL DECISION

of 3 May 1989

accepting on behalf of the Community the recommendation of 5 June 1962 of the Customs Cooperation Council concerning the customs treatment of registered baggage carried by rail as amended on 21 June 1988

(89/339/EEC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 113 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas on 21 June 1988 the Customs Cooperation Council adopted amendments to the recommendation of 5 June 1962, introducing a new specimen customs declaration form for registered baggage and permitting customs or economic unions to accept the recommendation;

Whereas the new specimen customs declaration form for registered baggage was approved by the Customs Cooperation Council on a proposal from the Community; whereas that specimen form corresponds to the draft submitted by the Community and is designed to update the content of the customs declaration for registered baggage and to facilitate the introduction of that document by countries which hitherto were unable to use it;

Whereas the amendment is of fundamental interest to the Community which should. therefore adopt the recommendation of 5 June 1962, as amended,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The recommendation of 5 June 1962 of the Customs Cooperation Council concerning the customs treatment of registered baggage carried by rail, as amended on 21 June 1988, is hereby accepted on behalf of the Community with immediate effect.

The text of the recommendation is attached to this Decision.

Article 2

The President of the Council is hereby authorized to designate the person empowered to notify the Secretary-General of the Customs Cooperation Council of the acceptance by the Community of the recommendation referred to in Article 1.

Done at Brussels, 3 May 1989.

For the Council

The President

P. SOLBES

RECOMMENDATION OF THE CUSTOMS COOPERATION COUNCIL

of 5 June 1962

concerning the customs treatment of registered baggage carried by rail

(amended on 21 June 1988)

THE CUSTOMS COOPERATION COUNCIL,

CONSIDERING that the efforts made by the railway authorities to ensure efficiency in the international transport of registered baggage deserve to be supported,

DESIRING, to that end, to facilitate the expeditious handling of such baggage by simplifying customs formalities,

CONSIDERING that, in so far as possible, passengers should not be required to report in person to the customs authorities of the countries of departure and destination for the clearance of their registered baggage, and should be able to claim their baggage immediately on arrival at their destination,

RECOMMENDS that Members of the Council and customs or economic unions, apply the following provisions with regard to registered baggage:

When having their baggage registered by the railway authorities, passengers shall have the possibility of making a declaration on the appended form in order to expedite customs formalities;