3. On each of the opening dates referred to in the preceding paragraph, the Commission shall  notify Member States that it is ready to assume the functions concerned.Until such  notification the relevant powers shall continue to be exercised by Member States.

However, from a date which the Commission shall appoint on taking office, prior  consultations shall be held between it and Member States concerning any laws or regulations  which Member States may be planning to introduce on matters assigned to the jurisdiction of  the Commission by the Treaty.

4. Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 67 relating to the effect of new measures, the  Commission shall examine with the governments concerned the effect on the coal and steel  industries of existing laws and regulations, including any which fix prices for by products not  coming within its jurisdiction, and of such contractual social security schemes as are  equivalent in effect to regulations. If it finds that some of these, by reason either of their own  effects or of differences in them between two or more Member States, are liable seriously to  distort conditions of competition in the coal or the steel industry, whether in the market of the  country in question or in the rest of the common market or in export markets, it shall, after  consulting the Council, propose to the governments concerned any action which it considers  will correct them or offset their effects.

5. In order to have a working basis which is independent of the practices of the various  undertakings, the Commission shall seek to establish, in consultation with governments,  undertakings and associations of undertakings, workers, and consumers and dealers, by what  means it will be possible to make comparable:

the price ranges for different qualities relative to the average price for the products, or for the  successive stages of their production; the calculation of provision for depreciation.

6. During the preparatory period the main task of the Commission shall be to establish  relations with undertakings and associations of undertakings, trade unions, and associations of  consumers and dealers, in order to obtain practical knowledge of the general situation and of  particular situations in the Community.

In the light of the information it obtains on markets, supplies, the production conditions of  undertakings, the living conditions of workers, and modernization and equipment  programmes, the Commission shall, in contact with all concerned, draw up an overall survey  of the situation of the Community to guide their work together.

On the basis of these consultations and the overall picture thus formed, the measures shall be  prepared which will be needed to establish the common market and facilitate the adaptation of  production.

The Council

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The Council shall meet within one month after the Commission takes office.

The Consultative Committee

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