Article 109h

1. Where a Member State is in difficulties or is seriously threatened with difficulties  as regards its balance of payments either as a result of an overall disequilibrium in  its balance of payments, or as a result of the type of currency at its disposal, and  where such difficulties are liable in particular to jeopardize the functioning of the  common market or the progressive implementation of the common commercial  policy, the Commission shall immediately investigate the position of the State in  question and the action which, making use of all the means at its disposal, that State  has taken or may take in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty. The Commission shall state what measures it recommends the State concerned to take.

If the action taken by a Member State and the measures suggested by the Commission  do not prove sufficient to overcome the difficulties which have arisen or which  threaten, the Commission shall, after consulting the Committee referred to in Article  109c, recommend to the Council the granting of mutual assistance and appropriate  methods therefor.

The Commission shall keep the Council regularly informed of the situation and of  how it is developing.

2. The Council, acting by a qualified majority, shall grant such mutual assistance; it  shall adopt directives or decisions laying down the conditions and details of such  assistance, which may take such forms as:

a. a concerted approach to or within any other international organizations to which  Member States may have recourse;
b. measures needed to avoid deflection of trade where the State which is in  difficulties maintains or reintroduces quantitative restrictions against third  countries;
c. the granting of limited credits by other Member States, subject to their  agreement.

3. If the mutual assistance recommended by the Commission is not granted by the  Council or if the mutual assistance granted and the measures taken are insufficient,  the Commission shall authorize the State which is in difficulties to take protective  measures, the conditions and details of which the Commission shall determine.

Such authorization may be revoked and such conditions and details may be changed  by the Council acting by a qualified majority.

4. Subject to Article 109k( 6 ), this Article shall cease to apply from the beginning of  the third stage.

Article 109i

1. Where a sudden crisis in the balance of payments occurs and a decision within the  meaning of Article 109h( 2 ) is not immediately taken, the Member State concerned  may, as a precaution, take the necessary protective measures. Such measures must  cause the least possible disturbance in the functioning of the common market and

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