This order establishes the legal framework for the application of customs duties regarding the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) as mandated by the British government in 1980. The text serves as a formal statutory instrument, detailing the specific regulatory adjustments required to align domestic trade practices with international treaty obligations. It functions as a technical directive for customs authorities to ensure compliance with the ECSC pricing and tariff structures.

Legal professionals and historians utilize this document as a primary source for tracking the evolution of British trade law during the pre-Single Market era. Readers frequently note the highly technical and dense nature of the prose, which is intended strictly for administrative and legal application.