Carl Schlüter v Hauptzollamt Lörrach (9/73)

On the fourth question

The Commission considers that the conditions in which the system of compensatory amounts was to cease to apply, as specified by Article 8 (2) of Regulation No 974/71, had not yet been fulfilled on 15 March 1972. Regulation No 974/71 attempts to offset the difference between the real and official parities because the latter, by virtue of Regulation No 129/62, determine the whole common agricultural policy.On the 15 March 1972, the Member States had still not re-applied the international rules since neither the central rate nor the fluctuations due to floating were in conformity with them. The fact that it was clear that the Member States would not return to the former parities, has, according to the Commission, no importance, as the ‘international rules’ mentioned in Article 8 of Regulation No 974/71 are directed towards the return to parities fixed within definite margins of fluctuation, and not a return to the former parities.