9. 8. 82 Official Journal of the European Communities NoC 205/1 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision concluding the Agreement on the International 
Carriage of Passengers by Road by means of Occasional Coach and Bus Service (ASOR) 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 31 of 8 February 1982, page 1. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 14 December 1981 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article 75 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 198th 
plenary session held in Brussels on 26 and 27 May 1982. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 75 
thereof, 
Having regard to the Council's decision on 14 December 
1981 to consult the Economic and Social Committee on 
this matter, 
Having regard to the decision of its Bureau on 14 
December 1981 instructing the Section for Transport and 
Communications to draw up an opinion on this matter 
(Article 22 of the Rules of Procedure), 
Having regard to the oral report submitted by the 
rapporteur, Mr Schneider (Article 29 of the Rules of 
Procedure), 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by the Section for 
Transport and Communications at its 142nd meeting, 
held on 12 May 1982, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 198th plenary 
session of 26 and 27 May 1982, Whereas Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 
117/66 of 28 July 1966 on the indroduction of common 
rules for the international carriage of passengers by coach 
and bus states that 'the Community shall enter into any 
negotiations with third countries which may be found 
necessary for the purpose of implementing this 
Regulation'; 
Whereas common rules have already been adopted for 
shuttle and regular bus services by means of Council 
Regulations (EEC) No 516/72 and (EEC) No 517/72 of 
28 February 1972, with the result that the Council 
decided in 1975 to authorize the Commission to negotiate 
for the conclusion of an Agreement establishing uniform 
rules for the international carriage of passengers by means 
of coach and bus services; 
Whereas the negotiations with the third countries 
concerned, who are all members of the European 
Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) (Austria, 
Finland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, 
Turkey and Yugoslavia), were begun on 11 March 1976 
and largely concluded in 1980. Turkey is expected to sign 
No C 205/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 9. 8. 82 
the Agreement at the end of May 1982, although 
unfortunately Yugoslavia has so far shown no readiness 
to sign; 
Whereas the ASOR applies only to vehicles designed and 
equipped to carry more than nine persons, including the 
driver; 
Whereas the aim of the Agreement is, above all, to 
eliminate the differences between the various legal 
provisions governing occasional international services 
between the contracting parties and thereby, among other 
things, make it easier to operate such services; 
Whereas the conclusion of the ASOR represents a first 
step towards closer collaboration between the 
Done at Brussels, 26 May 1982. contracting parties and is of special political significance, 
and whereas the present proposal for a Council Decision 
will empower the Council to conclude the ASOR 
agreement within the framework of the Community, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee endorses the Commission's proposal. It 
would urge the Commission and Council to make every 
effort to bring Yugoslavia - an important third country 
for cross-frontier occasional passenger transport - also 
to accede to this Agreement. 
The Chairman 
of the 
Economic and Social Committee 
Tomas ROSEINGRAVE