8. 3. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 59/57 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a multiannual  programme  of research  and  development  in the 
European  Communities  on paper  and  board  recycling 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 209  of 1 September  1977,  page  7. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 26 August  1977  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 154th 
plenary  session  held  in Brussels  on 14 and  15 December  1977. 
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  for an opinion  made  by 
the Council  of the  European  Communities  on 26 
August  1977, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 27 
September  1977  instructing  the Section  for  Industry, 
Commerce,  Crafts  and Services  to draw  up an opinion 
and a report  on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by that  Section  at 
its meeting  on 30 November  1977, 
Having  regard  to the  oral  report  submitted  by the 
rapporteur,  Mr Masprone, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 154th  plenary 
session  held  on 14 and  15 December  1977  (meeting  of 
14 December), 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee  approves  the  Commission  proposal 
subject  to the comments  set out below. 
1. Objectives  of the research  programme of raw  materials.  Its objectives  are the same  as those 
laid down  in the 1974  communication  to the Council 
on the  problems  of the  pulp,  paper  and  paperboard 
industry,  namely: 
— better  use of raw  materials, 
— reduction  of water  consumption, 
— reduction  of energy  consumption, 
— improvement  of the environment  (reducing  waste, 
conserving  forecasts). 
1.2. The  Committee  would  echo  what  it said  on this 
communication  (*) in its opinion  particularly  in para-
graphs  2.1.5  and  2.1.6.  The  Committee  endorsed  the 
Commission's  recommendation  that  the  recovery  and 
recycling  of waste  paper  be stepped  up considerably, 
and argued  that  public  opinion  must  be alerted  to the 
vital need  to conserve  resources  and  use raw  materials 
more  rationally.  While  bearing  in mind  health  and 
hygiene  requirements,  the Committee  would  urge  that 
the use of waste  paper  should  not be unduly  dependent 
on the existence  or introduction  of national  standards. 
In another  opinion  of April  1975  on the proposal  for a 
Council  Directive  on the reduction  of water  pollution 
1.1. The  proposed  programme  is part  of the  policy 
being  worked  out by the Commission  on the better  use (i) OJ  No C 62, 15. 3. 1975. 
No C 59/58 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 8. 3. 78 
caused  by wood  pulp  mills  in the Member  States,  the 
Committee  recommended  that  all water  resources  be 
safeguarded  as much  as possible  since  they  were 
destined  to become  an increasingly  rare  raw  material. 
2. Financing  of the programme 
2.1. The  overall  cos%  of the  programme  is to be 
5 500  000  units  of account,  of which  2 900  000  units  of 
account,  is to be provided  by the Community.  Although 
the programme  is only  a first  step  in promoting  re-
search,  the Committee  feels  that  the Commission  should 
provide,  in the general  framework  of its research  pro-
gramme,  for a proportional  increase  in the costs  borne 
by both  the Community  and  the Member  States. 
2.2. The  Committee  would  stress  the need  for finance 
to be provided  for any 'pilot  schemes'  or special  equip-
ment  that  could  be installed  in existing  mills  and enable 
the research  programme's  goals  to be attained. 
2.3. The  Committee  notes  that  the Commission  is to 
put the various  research  projects  up for tender  in the 
Official  Journal  of the European  Communities. 
3. Effect  on Community  trade  with  non-member 
countries 
3.1. The  Commission's  review  of the  paper  industry 
has brought  several  important  facts  to light,  namely: 
— in the past  10 years,  the Community  has  had  to 
import  more  than  50%  of the fibrous  raw  materials 
needed  to manufacture  the paper  and  board  it con-
sumes,  or 16 million  tonnes  a year, 
— the  Community's  trading  deficit  on raw  materials 
for paper-making  has  increased  in recent  years, 
from  2 000  million  units  of account  in 1972  to 
3 000  million  units  of account  in 1975, 
— the  Community's  forestry  and other  plant  resources, 
which  are being  exploited  in a disordered  manner, 
are sufficient  for only  about  one-sixth  of its re-
quirements  in fibrous  raw  materials, — the  rate  of use (i.e.  the percentage  of total  paper  and 
board  production  made  from  waste  paper)  is 42%, 
or 10 million  tonnes  a year. 
3.2. These  figures  show  that  the  Community  must 
reduce  its dependence  on imports  for its supply  of raw 
materials.  This  would  directly  benefit  the balance  of 
trade  and  the balance  of payments  and  would  also  lead 
to a fall in energy  consumption,  which  would  also  ulti-
mately  benefit  the Community.  Energy  consumption  is 
less when  using  waste  paper  than  when  using  fresh  raw 
materials. 
4. Other  measures 
4.1. The  Committee  thinks  that  the  following  addi-
tional  measures  need  to be taken  as part  of implement-
ing the programme: 
— there  should  be more  collaboration  with  the Advis-
ory Committee  on Waste  Management, 
— local  and  national  authorities  should  be prevailed 
upon  to step  up the collection  of waste  paper  and 
run campaigns  to get the public  to do the same, 
— a study  should  be conducted  into  reafforestation;  it 
should  be wide-ranging  and  cover  the  effects  of 
afforestation  on agriculture,  the environment  and 
the timber  industry.  Such  a study  is at present  being 
drawn  up by the Economic  and  Social  Committee, 
— the  Community  should  encourage  a constant  inter-
change  of information  on how  to improve  the re-
covery  rate  of waste  paper, 
— the  constraints  on the use of waste  paper  should  be 
examined. 
5. Conclusions 
5.1. Basically  we support  the research  programme. 
5.2. The  whole  matter  is of such  importance  that  it 
should  be backed  up by other  measures  by the Commis-
sion.  These  will  require  much  more  finance  than  is pro-
vided  for in the present  programme. 
Done  at Brussels,  14 December  1977. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic 
and Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI