6. 5. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 120/23 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision amending Decision 89/657/EEC establishing 
an action programme to promote innovation in the field of vocational training resulting from 
technological change in the Community (Eurbtecnet) and Decision 90/267/EEC establishing 
an action programme for the development of continuing vocational training in the European 
Community (Force) in order to establish the advisory committee for continuing education 
and training embracing Force and Eurotecnet (*) 
(91/C 120/07) 
On 29 January 1991, the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Article 128 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for Social, Family, Educational and Cultural Affairs, which was responsible for 
preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 14 March 1991. The 
Rapporteur was Mr Nierhaus. 
At its 285th plenary session (meeting of 20 March 1991), the Economic and Social Committee 
unanimously adopted the following Opinion. 
1. General comments 
1.1. The proposal is a continuation of the work 
which the Commission has been undertaking for some 
years on promoting and strengthening the quality and 
scope of basic and further vocational training in the 
countries of the Community. 
1.2. Last year the Commission adopted a memor­
andum (2) on the same subject, which was designed to 
rationalize and coordinate vocational training pro­
grammes at Community level. It also announced its 
intention to regroup related continuing training pro­
grammes as far as possible. 
1.3. Accordingly, it is now proposing to adapt and 
expand the advisory committee provided for in the 
Force programme and the provisions applying to that 
committee so that other Community activities in the 
field of countinuing training—and in particular the 
implementation of Eurotecnet—are also covered. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. The Economic and Social Committee fully wel­
comes the Commission's plan, since it is likely to 
streamline advisory work and avoid the proliferation 
of advisory committees. 
2.2. The work of such a committee can also help to 
lay the foundations for a coordinated vocational train­
ing policy in the countries of the Community and the 
handling of particularly important questions such as: 
(') OJNoC24, 31. 1. 1991, p. 6. 
(2) Doc. COM(90) 334 final. — basic skills-related issues (level of needs, restructur­
ing, anticipated qualitative and quantitative defi­
cits), 
— trends in basic and continuing vocational training, 
— continuing training issues affecting specific groups 
(e.g. women, the handicapped, migrant workers). 
There must be no overlapping with the work of the 
advisory committee on vocational training. 
2.3. The Economic and Social Committee particu­
larly welcomes the Commission's plan to include on 
the committee not only two representatives per Member 
State but also twelve representatives of both sides of 
industry with advisory status. 
2.4. However, the Committee wonders whether the 
powers of these twelve persons, as the representatives 
of those directly affected by vocational training matters, 
should not be more binding and extend beyond the 
issuing of non-binding recommendations. 
2.5. The Committee would point out that with the 
establishment of the advisory committee the responsi­
bilities for vocational training matters should not 
become centralized. Instead the work of the committee 
should provide Member States with an important 
impetus so that the latter can make better use of their 
opportunities in vocational training matters. 
2.6. Finally, the Committee thinks that it is absol­
utely necessary to take suitable measures to prevent the 
basic vocational activities on which Eurotecnet focuses 
from suffering as a result of the fact that the advisory 
No C 120/24 Official Journal of the European Communities 6. 5. 91 
committee is to be responsible for several continuing 
training programmes. This would run counter to the aim of providing young people with adequate skills 
training. 
Done at Brussels, 20 March 1991. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Frangois STAEDELIN 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive on the implementation of the minimum 
safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile work sites (eighth individual Directive 
within the meaning of Article 16 of Directive 89/391/EEC) (2) 
(91/C 120/08) 
On 3 September 1990 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Article 118A of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for Social, Family, Educational and Cultural Affairs, which was responsible for 
preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 14 March 1991. The 
Rapporteur was Mr Etty. 
At its 285th plenary session (meeting of 20 March 1991) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion by a majority vote with 10 abstentions. 
1. Introduction 
1.1. The Commission is proposing the adoption of 
an individual Directive under Article 16 of Directive 89/ 
391/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage 
improvements in occupational safety and health (also 
known as the 'framework Directive'). 
1.2. That Article governs the introduction of special 
technical measures and a number of these have already 
been taken on the basis of individual Directives pro­
vided for in the framework Directive. The Committee 
delivered Opinions on these instruments. 
1.3. The first individual Directive concerned mini­
mum safety and health requirements at the workplace. 
In its Opinion of April 1988 on the draft, the Committee 
(!) OJ No C 213, 28. 8. 1990, p. 2. expressly requested the adoption of an individual Direc­
tive on temporary or mobile work sites, since these 
were not covered by the first individual Directive. 
1.4. The Committee endorses the aims and broad 
outlines of the draft Directive. At the same time, it 
thinks that parts of the text require clarification, 
improvement and greater emphasis. Proposals to this 
effect are set out in the following general and specific 
comments. 
2. General comments 
2.1. The Commission quite rightly attaches particu­
lar importance to safety and health in the building 
sector, to which the phrase 'temporary or mobile work 
sites' refers. The high accident rate in the building 
industry is well known. Whilst approximately 10 % of 
the total Community workforce is employed in this 
sector, it accounts for 15 % of industrial accidents and