16. 2. 76 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 35/29 
the meaning  of the  present  Directive,  or labelled 
as such,  it must  bear  the  symbol  X with  the 
relevant  indication  of danger,  and  also  at least 
the two  warnings  "not  to  be  inhaled"  and 
"harmful  if taken  internally".  These  provisions 
do not  affect  the  requirements  to label  the 
preparation  as "highly  inflammable"  if this  is 
nccessary  under  the  present  Directive.' 
2.4. Article  7 (3) 
2.4.1.  The  Committee  considers  that  it should  be 
compulsory  for  labels  to be in the  language  or 
languages  spoken  in the country  where  the products 
are sold.  The  Committee  has  made  this  request  on 
many  occasions  in the past. would  preclude  the  risk  of divergences  in the 
implementation  of the  Directive  as a result  of 
varying  experience  with  the  substances  in question. 
If this  is not  done,  'total  harmonization',  a 
fundamental  principle  of the  Directive,  could  be 
jeopardized.  Furthermore,  the problem  of addition  is 
not the only  one  which  merits  attention:  there  might 
also be a synergistic  effect  between  different  toxic 
substances  listed  in Annex  I. Some  substances  in 
Annex  I might  have  to be reclassified  later  in the 
light  of new  scientific  evidence.  But  in the meantime 
Article  10  of the  proposed  Directive  provides  a 
safeguard.  Article  10 allows  any  Member  State  to 
prohibit  or restrict  immediately  the marketing  of any 
preparation  which  it suspects  of presenting  a health 
or safety  hazard. 
2.5. Annex  1 
2.5.1.  The  Committee  would  stress  that  when  the 
toxicity  of the  substances  listed  in Annex  I is being 
determined,  account  should  be  taken  of  the 
synergistic  effect  that  a number  of these  substances 
may have  on the  human  body.  In this  connection, 
the Committee  recommends  the  Commission  to 
review  the classification  of a number  of substances. 
2.5.2.  With  regard  to the  introductory  comment, 
the Committee  would  ask  the  Commission  to work 
out more  precise  classification  criteria,  similar  to 
those  already  applied  in certain  Member  States.  This 2.6. Annex  11 
2.6.1.  Further  to its general  comments  on  this 
Annex,  the  Committee  would  call  upon  the 
Commission  to consider  the case  for exempting  from 
the special  labelling  requirements  those  paints  which 
contain  lead  solely  in the form  of lead  chromate  and 
lead molybdate,  in so far as they  are made  harmless 
by the elimination  of all the soluble  salts. 
2.6.2.  As  already  stressed  above  in 1.1.7  and  1.1.8, 
there  is a need  for comprehensive  EEC  rules  on the 
handling  and  use  of dangerous  substances.  Annex  II 
could  then  only  represent  a transitional  measure. 
Done  at Brussels,  27 November  1975. 
The Chairman 
of the  Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
Opinion  on the  proposal  for  a multiannual  environmental  research  and  development 
programme  of the  European  Community  (indirect  action):  1976  to 1980 
The text  referred  to the Committee  was  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 222  of 29 September  1975,  page  117. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 31 July  1975,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the  Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  198  of the  Treaty  establishing  the 
Economic  Community. 
No C 35/30 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 16. 2. 76 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the above  matter  at its 
135th  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 26 and  27 November  1975. 
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, the Biological  — Health  Protection  Programme, 
the ECSC's  industrial  medicine  programmes  and 
the work  of  CREST's  Medical  Research 
Committee. 
Having  regard  to the request  for an opinion  made  by 
the Council  on 31 July  1975, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 
23 September  1975,  instructing  the  Section  for 
Protection  of the  Environment,  Public  Health  and 
Consumer  Affairs  to draw  up an opinion  oft  the 
matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the Section 
for Protection  of the  Environment,  Public  Health 
and Consumer  Affairs,  at its  meeting  on  11 
November  1975,  and  the  oral  report  made  by the 
Rapporteur,  Mr de Grave, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 135th  plenary 
session,  held  on 26 and  27 November  1975  (meeting 
of 27 November), 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a unanimous  vote: 
1. For  several  years  it has been  Community  policy 
that some  of  the  research  projects  receiving 
Community  backing  should  be devoted  to improving 
the quality  of life.  The  Committee  endorses  this 
policy. 
2. The  Committee  therefore  welcomes:  (a)  the 
submission  of  the  Multiannual  Environmental 
Research  and  Development  Programme;  (b)  the 
submission  of the associated  programmes,  namely: 
— the  European  Foundation  for the Improvement  of 
Living  and  Working  Conditions, 
— Agricultural  Research, These  programmes  must  be coordinated  with  those 
of the  public  and  private  organizations  existing  at 
national  and  international  level.  Such  coordination 
will advance  knowledge  and  make  it possible  to take 
policy  decisions  in  an  important  area  where 
Commission  action  has  already  produced 
outstanding  results. 
3. In  view  of the  above  factors,  the  backlog  of 
work  in this  field,  and  the scale  and  implications  of 
the issues  involved,  the Committee  tends  to the view 
that the  Programme's  appropriation  should  be 
considerably  larger  so  as  to  ensure  that  the 
Programme  can  be  implemented  according  to 
schedule. 
4. While  approving  the  Programme  as a whole, 
the Committee  would  emphasize  the  importance  of 
the following  areas  (some  of which  may  perhaps 
come  under  other  programmes). 
4.1. In  addition  to work  in the  field  of natural 
sciences  (biology,  biochemistry,  toxicology,  etc.), 
major  emphasis  should  be placed  on socio-cultural 
research  into:  (i) obstacles  to improvement  of the 
environment;  (ii) factors  which  make  it possible  or 
easier  to act on the findings  of scientific  research. 
4.2. People  are often  disenchanted  with  urban  life 
because  of factors  such  as air  pollution,  noise, 
commuting  problems,  redevelopment  of urban  areas 
without  regard  for  the  wishes  of the  public, 
haphazard  urban  development,  the  shortage  of 
recreational  areas,  and  the  neglect  of  public 
transport.  Some  of these  problems  are  also  of 
relevance  to the rural  environment.  Specific  analyses 
should  be  undertaken  with  a view  to  better 
identification  of: (i) the  causes  of deterioration  of 
the urban  environment;  (ii) the repercussions  of such 
deterioration  on health  and  living  conditions. 
16. 2. 76 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 35/31 
4.3. In  its  opinion  on  waste  disposal,  the 
Committee  has  already  emphasized  the  need  for 
preventive  rather  than  curative  action  (x). This 
opinion  urged  the Member  States  to promote  the use 
of non-polluting  materials  and  materials  which  can 
be re-used  or recycled.  The  Committee  welcomes  the 
research  into  the  durability  of consumer  goods,  and 
would  like  the  Commission  to look  into  ways  of 
stimulating  the  markets  in recycled  paper  and  other 
recycled  products. 
4.4. The  following  problems  should  receive  special 
attention: 
4.4.1.  Noise  (particularly  in urban  areas)  near  roads, 
at the work  place  and  in recreation  areas; 
4.4.2.  Alternatives  to the wholesale  use  of pesticides 
and fertilizers  in agriculture; 
4.4.3.  The  environmental  repercussions  of more 
extensive  use of nuclear  energy; 4.4.4.  The  effects  of: (a) the  spread  of pollutants; 
(b) the  decentralization  of plants  causing 
pollution. 
4.4.5.  The  potential  economic  repercussions  of anti-
pollution  measures  (location  of  industry, 
competitiveness,  etc.);  the  methods  of cost/ 
benefit  analysis  (including  social  costs). 
5. Community  investment  in research  will  not  be 
fully  effective  unless  sufficient  effort  is devoted  to an 
information  campaign  directed  at scientific  circles, 
the press,  the  general  public  and  organizations 
affected  by environmental  legislation. 
6. The  Committee  notes  with  satisfaction  that  the 
Commission  is beginning  to establish  contacts  with 
conservationists,  employers'  and  trade  associations, 
trade  unions,  consumer  organizations  and  other 
bodies  concerned  with  environmental  protection. 
The Committee  hopes  that  the  Commission  will 
maintain  and  develop  these  contacts. 
Done  at Brussels,  27 November  1975. 
The Chairman 
of the  Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
(!) OJ No C 16, 23. 1. 1975. 
Opinon  on the programme  of the  European  Foundation  for the Improvement  of Living 
and Working  Conditions 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  not  yet  been  published  in the Official  Journal 
of the European  Communities. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 16 July  1975,  the  Commission  referred  the  abovementioned  programme  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  198  of the  Treaty 
establishing  the  European  Economic  Community.