# C_2006324EN.01002501.xml

| 30.12.2006 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 324/25 |
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30.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 324/25

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Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the quality required of shellfish waters (codified version)

COM(2006) 205 final — 2006/0067 (COD)

(2006/C 324/10)

On 6 June 2006 the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under Article 175 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the abovementioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 8 September 2006. The rapporteur was Seppo Kallio.

In view of the renewal of the Committee's term of office, the Plenary Assembly has decided to vote on this opinion at its October plenary session and has adopted Mr Kallio as rapporteur-general under Rule 20 of the Rules of Procedure.

At its 430th plenary session, held on 26 October 2006, the European Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 111 votes with one abstention.

1.   Introduction

| 1.1 | The purpose of this proposal is to undertake a codification of Council Directive 79/923/EEC of 30 October 1979 on the quality required of shellfish waters. The new Directive will supersede the various acts incorporated in it; this proposal fully preserves the content of the acts being codified and hence does no more than bring them together with only such formal amendments as are required by the codification exercise itself. |
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1.1

The purpose of this proposal is to undertake a codification of Council Directive 79/923/EEC of 30 October 1979 on the quality required of shellfish waters. The new Directive will supersede the various acts incorporated in it; this proposal fully preserves the content of the acts being codified and hence does no more than bring them together with only such formal amendments as are required by the codification exercise itself.

2.   General comments

| 2.1 | The Committee regards it as very useful to have all the texts integrated into one Directive. In the context of a People's Europe, the Committee, like the Commission, attaches great importance to simplifying and clarifying Community law so as to make it clearer and more accessible to ordinary citizens, thus giving them new opportunities and the chance to make use of the specific rights it gives them. |
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2.1

The Committee regards it as very useful to have all the texts integrated into one Directive. In the context of a People's Europe, the Committee, like the Commission, attaches great importance to simplifying and clarifying Community law so as to make it clearer and more accessible to ordinary citizens, thus giving them new opportunities and the chance to make use of the specific rights it gives them.

| 2.2 | The Committee believes that codification must be undertaken in full compliance with the normal Community legislative procedure. |
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2.2

The Committee believes that codification must be undertaken in full compliance with the normal Community legislative procedure.

| 2.3 | It has been ensured that this compilation of provisions contains no changes of substance and serves only the purpose of presenting Community law in a clear and transparent way. The Committee expresses its total support for this objective and, in the light of these guarantees, welcomes the proposal. |
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2.3

It has been ensured that this compilation of provisions contains no changes of substance and serves only the purpose of presenting Community law in a clear and transparent way. The Committee expresses its total support for this objective and, in the light of these guarantees, welcomes the proposal.

Brussels, 26 October 2006.

The president

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Dimitrios DIMITRIADIS

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