No C 105/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 26. 4. 79 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION: 
1. The Committee does not think that any action should be taken on the Commission's proposal. 
2. The Commission is, in fact, proposing a 20% increase in authorizations for 1979 without 
explaining how this figure is economically justified. 
3. Furthermore, the Council's decision on the proposals submitted on 1 October 1975 regarding the 
organizations of the intra-Community transport market is still pending. 
4. It would therefore be acting rashly to allocate authorizations on the basis of statistics which are 
outdated and not geared to the system for monitoring the market proposed by the Commission. 
5. The Committee would therefore ask the Council to incorporate the proposals for a 
Community-wide control of capacity in the 1 October 1975 package on the organization of the market 
and to reject the Community quota proposal.' 
Voting 
For: 12; against: 54; abstentions: 17. 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on the memorandum of understanding of 
2 March 1978 between certain maritime authorities on the maintenance of standards on 
merchant ships 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 176 of 25 July 1978, page 8. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 24 July 1978 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community. 
B. OPINION ON THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 162nd 
plenary session held in Brussels on 18 and 19 October 1978. 
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 198 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of the 
European Communities on 24 July 1978 for an opinion, 
Having regard to the memorandum of understanding 
which was adopted on 2 March 1978 by the maritime 
authorities of eight North Sea countries (Belgium, 
Denmark, France, the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United Kingdom, Norway and Sweden) 
concerning the maintenance of standards on merchant 
ships, 
Having regard to its opinion of 31 May 1978 on the 
Amoco-Cadiz disaster, 
Having regard to its Rules of Procedure, and in 
particular Articles 18 and 46 thereof, 
Having regard to the oral report submitted by 
rapporteur-general, Mr Hennig, 
26. 4. 79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 105/7 
Having regard to the discussions at its 162nd plenary 
session held on 18 and 19 October 1978 (meeting of 
19 October), 
Whereas the European Council of 7 and 8 April 1978 
declared that the prevention of and fight against marine 
pollution, particularly by oil, must be made a major 
objective of Community action, and invited the Council, 
acting on proposals from the Commission, and the 
Member States to take appropriate action within the 
Community without delay and to adopt within the 
competent international organizations common 
positions on the rapid application of existing 
international rules in this field, particularly as regards 
minimum standards for the operating conditions of 
ships; 
Whereas a memorandum of understanding was adopted 
on 2 March 1978 between the maritime authorities of 
eight North Sea countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, 
the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany, the 
United Kingdom, Norway and Sweden); whereas this 
administrative agreement is designed to achieve the 
following main aims: to coordinate the action of these 
authorities as regards the control of and the exchange of 
information regarding substandard ships using their 
ports, to permit the effective application of harmonized 
procedures of surveillance and control of ships as regards certain minimum standards of safety and health laid 
down in a number of international agreements, to permit 
remedial action to be taken where these standards are 
not met, and to ensure that on ships calling at their ports 
or using their inland waters there is nothing which is 
clearly dangerous for health or safety; 
Whereas the application of this memorandum of 
understanding, as extended to the Community as a 
whole, will have the effect of causing the maritime 
authorities of the Community to exercise more uniform 
surveillance of substandard ships using their ports, so as 
to ensure, on all coasts of the Community, the 
effectiveness of this supervision and control, and thus the 
safety of ships, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee approves the Commission's proposal 
that the Member States take the necessary steps to ensure 
that their maritime authorities, to the extent that they do 
not already participate, make application to participate 
in the memorandum of understanding signed in The 
Hague on 2 March 1978 on the maintenance of 
standards on merchant ships. 
Done at Brussels, 19 October 1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Fabrizia BADUEL GLORIOSO 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 950/68 on 
the Common Customs Tariff 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 162 of 8 July 1978, page 7. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 3 July 1978 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article 198 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 162nd 
plenary session held in Brussels on 18 and 19 October 1978. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: