9. 8. 82 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 205/21 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation No 136/66/EEC on 
the establishment of a common organization of the market in oils and fats 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 72 of 23 March 1982, page 11. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 25 March 1982 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article 43 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 43 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of the 
European Communities on 25 March 1982 for an 
opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation 
amending Regulation No 136/ 66 /EEC on the 
establishment of a common organization of the market in 
oils and fats, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 23 
March 1982, instructing the Section for Agriculture to 
prepare its work on the matter, 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by the above 
Section at its 234th meeting, held on 6 May 1982, 
Having regard to the oral report by the rapporteur, Mr 
Paggi, 
Having regard to the discussions during its 198th plenary 
session held on 26 and 27 May 1982, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
by 56 votes to 35, with 13 abstentions: 
1. In its opinion on the 'agricultural aspects of the 
enlargement of the Community to include Spain', the 
Economic and Social Committee specified that the main 
aim in the olive oil sector was to achieve a price ratio in 
respect of other vegetable oils that would allow 
consumption levels to be maintained in the enlarged 
Community without provoking a marked increase in 
expenditure ('). It also called for the implementation of 
programmes aimed at switching to other crops and 
streamlining olive plantations and placed particular 
emphasis on the need to seek new outlets. 
(») OJ NoC 310, 30. 11. 1981. 2. The Commission proposal amending Regulation 
No 136/66/EEC on the establishment of a common 
organization of the market in oils and fats (OJ No C 72 of 
23 March 1982) reflects the Committee's wishes in that it 
advocates that the price ratio between olive oil and 
competing vegetable oils at the point of market entry 
should not exceed 2:1. This new price ratio should take 
effect from the first olive oil marketing year subsequent to 
Spain's accession to the EEC. 
3. The Committee would first point out that the 
proposed Regulation cannot, on its own, solve the 
problems of the olive oil sector, which are bound to be 
aggravated by the accession of Spain and Portugal. An 
overall assessment of the effectiveness of the Community 
restructuring measures can be made once the Commission 
has taken action on its communication of 15 October 
1981 to the Council. The draft Regulation on which the 
Committee has been asked to .pronounce is an initial 
and major stage in the implementation of this 
communication. 
4. The Committee observes that the absence of a 
common policy requiring compliance with the principle 
of Community preference in respect of all oils and fats is 
causing serious distortion and pushing up expenditure on 
Community markets. 
5. The Committee would, however, confirm its own 
awareness of the social aspects involved in any solution to 
the problem of achieving a balance between production 
and consumption in the olive oil sector, especially as such 
aspects, which are already of notable significance in the 
present Community of Ten, will assume even greater 
importance following the Community's further 
enlargement. 
6. It would be more productive to maintain the level of 
consumption in traditional areas than to follow the 
No C 205/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 9. 8. 82 
uncertain and costly road of trying to win over consumers 
with different eating habits to olive oil. However, for the 
purpose of attracting new customers, schemes along the 
lines of the special Christmas butter offers, which have 
produced promising results to date, are not to be ruled 
out. 
7. The Committee interprets the decision to regulate 
the price ratio between olive oil and seed oils as an 
expression of the political will required in the current 
phase of the negotiations on Spain's accession in order to 
avoid the cost of enlargment in the olive oil sector being 
borne solely by producers in the Ten. 
8. The Committee has thought long and hard about 
whether the price ratio proposed by the Commission is 
the best one. While there are arguments in favour of more 
thorough research being carried out, it is also quite clear 
that whatever findings are derived from such research, 
they will to some extent incorporate non-objective 
factors. The Committee is therefore inclined to accept the 
2:1 ratio, not as a rigid criterion but rather as a point of departure for achieving the most satisfactory ratio, if 
necessary in stages. 
The Committee also considers it important that the 
Commission should undertake a programme of research 
in Greece, Italy and Spain to find out who uses the 
different oils and for what purposes, and what the reasons 
are for using oils other than olive oil. 
9. The Committee has taken note of the Commission's 
explanations that the 2:1 price ratio relates to the most 
widely sold varieties of olive and seed oil. 
10. The Committee is not quite sure why consumer 
aid should be forthcoming at the wholesale stage. Should 
there be practical arguments for this approach, care must 
be taken to ensure that such aid goes entirely to the 
consumer. 
11. For further considerations on the subject of this 
proposal, the Committee would refer to the information 
report compiled by the Section for Agriculture on the 
Community oil and fats sector. 
Done at Brussels, 27 May 1982. 
The Chairman of 
the Economic and Social Committee 
Tomas ROSEINGRAVE 
APPENDICES 
to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee 
I. VOTING 
The following Members, present or represented, voted in favour of the opinion: 
Mr Bagliano, Mr Benigni, Mr Beretta, Mr Berns, Mr Blamoutsis, Mrs Bredima, Mr Broicher, Mr de 
Caffarelli, Mr Cavazzuti, Mr Chronopoulos, Mr Gavel, Mr Colymvas, Mr Curlis, Mr Dassis, Mr Daul, 
Mr De Grave, Mr Delourme, Mr De Tavernier, Mr Douros, Mr Emo Capodilista, Mr Georgiou, 
Mr Germozzi, Mr Gingembre, Mr Hall, Mr Hemmer, Mr Hennig, Mr Jakobsen, Mr Karakitsos, 
Mr Kenna, Mr Kirschen, Mr Laur, Mr Laval, Mr Margot, Mr Masucci, Mr Meraviglia, Mr Militello, 
Mr Morselli, Mr Murphy, Mr Ognibene, Mr Paggi, Mr Pearson. Mr Piga, Mr Querini, Mr Rainero, 
Mr Renaud, Mr Rollinger, Mr Romoli, Mr Rouzier, Mr Saitis, Mr Savini, Mr Scalia, Mr Schnieders, 
Mr Theisen, Mr Vanni, Mr Vati der Veen, Mr Zoli 
The following Members, present or represented, voted against the opinion: 
Mr Blasig, Mr Boddy, Mr Breitenstein, Mr du Closel, Mr Cremer, Mr Evain, Mr Fredersdorf, 
Mr Friedrichs, Mr Gallacher, Mr van Greunsven, Mrs Heuser, Mr Hicks-Beach, Mr Hilkens, 
Mr Jaschick, Mr Jenkins, Mr Jonker W., Mr Law, Mr Leo, Mr Miller, Mr Mills, Mr Milne, Mr Muhr, 
Mr Nierhaus, Mr Papadopoulos, Mrs Patterson, Mr de Precigout, Mr Pronk, Mr Rizos, Mr Seydaack, 
Mr Staratzke, Mr Wagner, Mr Williams, Mr Wylie, Mr Zinkin, Mr Zunkler. 
The following Members, present or represented, abstained: 
Mr Bernaert, Mrs Clark, Mr De Bruyn, Mr Doble, Mr Glesener, Mr Goris, Mr Kolbenschlag, 
Mr Loughrey, Mr Masprone, Mr Neumann. Mr Nielsen M., Miss Roberts, Mr Schneider. 
Official Journal of the European Communities NoC 205/23 
II. DEFEATED AMENDMENTS 
The following amendments, based on the Section opinion and tabled in accordance with the Rules of 
Procedure, were defeated during the discussion: 
Paragraph 4 
Delete the above paragraph. 
Reasons 
The Committee has asked for an information report on oils and fats which will be submitted in the 
reasonably near future. It would be unreasonable for the Committee to take a view on so central an issue 
before considering that report, especially as it is not necessary to do so on the quite limited Commission 
proposal under reference. 
Voting 
For: 41, Against: 64, Abstentions: 6. 
Paragraph 6 
Delete last sentence. 
Reasons 
It is not true that EEC Christmas butter offers have had promising results to date. A special report dated 
13 April 1982 by the EEC Court of Auditors, entitled reduced-price butter sales within the Community, 
makes it crystal clear that these sales have little effect. The cost to the Community is, however, extremely 
high. 
It seems wrong to make recommendations which are demonstrably very expensive and ineffective. 
Voting 
For: 29, Against: 65, Abstentions: 14. 
Paragraph 8 
Add the following sentence at the end of the paragraph: 
'It should not be incorporated in Regulation No 136/66/EEC as a statutory obligation until it has 
been shown to be effective.' 
Reason 
The Commission can try the effect of a 2:1 ratio under the Regulation as it stands. It would be a mistake to 
pick any particular ratio as a permanent obligation until it has been shown that this is the right ratio. 
Voting 
For: 22, Against: 55, Abstentions: 12. 
Paragraph 9 
Add at the end of the paragraph: 
'It observes that, in Spain, the most important relationship is that between olive oil and sunflower 
oil.' 
Reasons 
The Commission is inclined to think primarily in terms of the relationship between refined olive oil and 
soya oil. In Spain, however, only one housewife in twenty uses soya oil and a good third use sunflower oil. It 
may be, therefore, that the Commission should put equal weight on the price relationship between refined 
olive oil and sunflower oil. 
Voting 
For: 29, Against: 52, Abstentions: 18.