ASAB and the companies with which it will be concentrated will have shares of Community stainless steel consumption of approximately 12% for cold rolled flat products, 19% for hot rolled flat products, 11% for wire rod and 11% for bars.

2. In this Chapter the word "wire" means hot- or cold-formed products of any cross-sectional shape, of which no cross-sectional dimension exceeds 16 mm.

The following tonnages have been laid down for the various categories: - hot-rolled sheet 250 OOO tonnes - cold-rolled sheet 252 OOO tonnes - galvanized sheet 10 000 tonnes - heavy plate 56 000 tonnes - wire rod 67 000 tonnes - tinplate 90 000 tonnes Tinplate is a new addition to this year's list.

New limits were adopted in December 1986 for the whole of 1987 resulting in the following tonnages: - hot-rolled sheet 399 000 tonnes(1) - cold-rolled sheet 233 OOO tonnes - heavy plate 48 500 tonnes - galvanized sheet 6 500 tonnes - wire rod 56 000 tonnes (1) The discrepancy between this tonnage and the 1988 figure is explained by the fact that the 1987 quota for hot-rolled coil also comprised direct deliveries to Spanish re-rolling mills, whose deliveries in the Spanish market are not in fact subject to the safeguard clauses.

It should also be recalled that on 22 December the Industry Ministers of the Twelve agreed to a capacity reduction objective of 7.5 million tonnes of hot- rolled wide strip, for which guarantees must be obtained no later than 10 June 1988. - 2 - Main features of the quota system The quota system decided upon by the European Commission for the first six months of 1988 therefore heralds a new opening-up of the steel market, but it is worth pointing out that for all the products, whether or not subject to quotas (hot-rolled wide strip, cold-rolled sheet, galvanized sheet, coated sheet, heavy sheet, heavy sections, wire rod, concrete reinfor ...[+++]cing bars and mercant bars), the Commission is maintaining a monitoring system whereby steel firms are required to make monthly declarations of their production and deliveries of the products in question.