asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if his attention has been drawn to a report that the EEC Commission has threatened to impose fines on 62 companies at present operating in the Common Market because they have not supplied information on their trading operations; if after the 1st January next it will be compulsory on all companies operating in this country to supply this information to the EEC headquarters in Brussels; if so, if he will indicate the nature of the information required; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Company Trading Operations.
44.
I have not seen the particular report to which the Deputy refers, but I am assuming that it refers to breaches of the rules of competition laid down in the Treaties establishing the European Economic Community and the European Coal and Steel community.
Firms are obliged to furnish to the Commission of the European Communities certain information which is required for the purpose of determining whether an offence has been committed and failure to furnish this information is, in itself, an offence.
From the 1st January, 1973, Irish firms will be in the same position as firms in other member states in regard to the operation of these provisions of the Treaties. They will then have six months in the case of the Treaty of Rome and three months in the case of the Treaty of Paris within which to comply. My Department are in consultation with the Confederation of Irish Industry as to the best way of advising Irish firms of these requirements.