13.9.93 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC249/33
5.3.Inthemeanwhile,toprepareGuidanceDocumentsaimedatthemosteffectiveinformationfor
employersandworkers,aswellasattheirprotectioninpracticeagainsttheeffectsofmechanicalvibrations,
opticalradiation,andfieldsandwaves.'
Reasons
Self-explanatory .
voting
For:56,against:92,abstentions :5.
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilDecisionconcerningaCommunityTechnology
InitiativeforDisabledandElderlyPeople(TIDE)(1993/1994)(J)
(93/C249/12)
On11June1993theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheCommitteeinstructedtheSectionforSocial,Family,EducationalandCulturalAffairs
toprepareitsworkonthesubject.InthecourseofitsworktheCommitteeappointed
MrFrandiasRapporteur-General (Articles18and46oftheRulesofProcedure).
Atits307thPlenarySession(meetingof30June),theEconomicandSocialCommittee
unanimouslyadoptedthefollowingOpinion.
1.TheCommitteedeploresthefactthataverytight
deadlinehaspreventeditfrommakingathorough
examinationoftheproposedDecisionconcerningthe
TIDEinitiativebecausethenecessarydocumentation
wassenttoittoolate.technologiesand(b)allowingdisabledandolderpeople
toplayafullroleintheworldofwork,theCommittee
notesthatfurtheractionwillbeneeded;thetypeof
assistanceshouldbeextended,asitatpresentfocuses
onafewparticularaspectsofappliedsciencesuchas
telematics .
2.TheCommitteeendorsestheneedforaninitiative
toencouragethecreationofaninternalmarketin
rehabilitationtechnologyintheECinordertohelpthe
elderlyanddisabledtoplayamoreactivepartin
economicandsociallife.
3.TheproposedTIDEinitiative,whichbuildson
theresultsoftheTIDEpilotaction,isundoubtedlya
positivestepinthisdirection.6.Intheinterestsofthetwofoldobjectivementioned
above,itisimportantthattheinitiativeshouldnotbe
toonarrowlybased.Systematicmultidisciplinary and
interdisciplinary linksshouldbeforgedwiththefour­
yearresearchandtechnologicaldevelopment (RTD)
frameworkprogrammeandwiththeplannedappli­
cationsoftheStructuralFunds.4.TheCommitteereservestherighttomakemore
generalcommentsandtoputforwardfurtherideasin
anAdditionalOpinion.
5.Inordertomeetthetwofoldobjectiveof(a)
creatingamarketindedicatedrehabilitation aidsand7.Theonlywaytocreatealargescalemarketand
tointegratetheelderlyanddisabledproperlyisto
ensurethatalltypesofaidforovercomingphysiological (i)OJNoC166,17.6.1993,p.12

NoC249/34 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 13.9.93
systematiclinkagebetweenthevarioustypesof
measurestakeninthedifferentDirectorates-General .barriersingeneralarewidelyavailable.Tothisendit
isessentialtokeepanactiverecordofusers,with
theirassociationsparticipatinginasynergicfashion
alongsideresearchinstitutes,industry,administrative
authoritiesandsocialbodies. 9.Onamorespecificpoint,theCommitteedraws
theCouncil'sattentiontotheneedfortheCommission
tosendtheevaluationofTIDE'sresultsnotonlytothe
CouncilandParliament (Article4),butalsotothe
Committee .8.InordertomaketheTIDEschememoreeffective,
aspecialcoordinationgroupshouldbesetuptoprovide
DoneatBrussels,30June1993.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
SusanneTIEMANN
OpinionontheEuropeanCommunity'srelationswithJapan
(93/C249/13)
On20October1992theEconomicandSocialCommittee,actingunderthethirdparagraph
ofArticle20oftheRulesofProcedure,decidedtodrawupanOpinionontheEuropean
Community'srelationswithJapan.
TheSectionforExternalRelations,TradeandDevelopmentPolicy,whichwasresponsible
forpreparingtheCommittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon16June1993.
TheRapporteurwasMrRomoli.
i
Atits307thPlenarySession(meetingof30June1993),theEconomicandSocialCommittee
unanimouslyadoptedthefollowingOpinion.
SUMMARY Itmightinfactbepossibletoembarkonanewphase
injointventuresbetweenECandJapanesefirms,both
withintheCommunityandelsewhere,aspartofthe
wide-rangingeconomicandpoliticalcooperationsug­
gestedbyarecentreportfromtheJapaneseMinistry
ofForeignAffairs.TheOpinionsetsouttoconsiderthemediumandlong­
termguidelinesforeconomicandpoliticalrelations
betweentheEuropeanCommunityandJapan,which
havealreadyimprovedconsiderablysincetheJoint
Declarationof18July1991.
TheOpinionrecommendsthattheECandJapan
shouldnotaggravateshort-termtradefrictionsbut
shouldinvestigatethecausesthereofandfindwaysof
restoringthetradebalance.
Italsocallsforthoroughconsiderationofthescaleof
theJapanesetradesurplusandoftheopportunities
whichtheuseoftheresultingfinancialsurplusesmight
offer.TheOpinionwarmlyapprovesthisapproachandurges
thatrapidstepsbetakentogivesubstancetothe
statementsofintentthathavebeenmade.
Ofkeyimportance,however,istheneedtoimprove
mutualunderstanding andculturalandsocialdialogue
betweentheEuropeanCommunityandJapan.