28. 7. 77 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 180/29 
Opinion  on the  proposal  for  a Council  Directive  amending  Directives  66/400/EEC, 
66/401/EEC,  66/402/EEC,  66/403/EEC,  68/193/EEC,  69/208/EEC,  70/458/EEC  and 
70/457/EEC  on the marketing  of beet  seed,  fodder  plant  seed,  cereal  seed,  seed  potatoes, 
material  for the vegetative  propagation  of the vine,  seed  of oil and  fibre  plants,  vegetable 
seed and  on the Common  catalogue  of varieties  of agricultural  plant  species 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 130  of 3 June  1977,  page  2. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 26 May  1977,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Articles  43,  47 and  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 
150th  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 22 and  23 June  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 
Articles  43, 47 and  198  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the  Council's  request  for  an 
opinion  on 26 May  1977, 
Having  regard  to its decision  of 22 June  1977,  in 
view  of the  urgent  nature  of the  matter,  to appoint 
a rapporteur-general  in accordance  with  Article  18 
of the  Rules  of Procedure, 
Having  regard  to the  oral  report  made  by  the 
rapporteur-general,  Mr  Lapie, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 150th  plenary 
session  on 22 and  23 June  1977  (meeting  of 22 June 
1977), 
HAS  UNANIMOUSLY  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING 
OPINION: 
1. The  Committee  endorses  the  draft  Directive, 
subject  to the comments  set out below. 
2. The  Committee  has  on several  occasions  had 
to comment  on the  approximation  of the  national 
rules  on agricultural  seed  — which  has  by now 
reached  a very  advanced  stage.  The  Committee  has 
consistently  expressed  support  for existing  and  new 
moves  in this  direction,  because  approximation 
makes  for  improvement  in the  supply  of seed available  and  consequently  in crop  yields  and 
quality. 
3. The  Directive  seeks  a further  extension  of the 
Commission's  powers  to make  technical  amendments 
to the  seed  rules.  This  was  also  the  effect  of the 
earlier  amending  Directive  73/438/EEC  (1). If it is 
intended  to continue  issuing  such  enabling  powers  in 
the future,  the result  will  be that  the Directives  will 
increasingly  become  outline  instruments.  Such  a 
procedure  is understandable,  as one  can  hardly  ask 
the Council  to make  decisions  on matters  like  the 
germination  of trifolium  repens  or methods  of 
closing  seed  bags.  Nevertheless,  decisions,  such  as 
it is proposed  should  now  be  made  by  the 
Commission,  can  have  considerable  practical 
implications,  for  example,  in the  form  of higher 
costs,  for  those  involved  in the  production  and 
distribution  of seed.  These  include  not  only  many 
farmers  growing  seed  but  also  many  small  and 
non-agricultural  businesses  engaged  in breeding  and 
distribution.  The  Committee  therefore  feels  it 
important  that  the seed  trade  and  seed  users  should 
be given  sufficient  time  and  opportunity  to express 
their  views  on proposed  amendments  to the Directives 
or decisions  taken  under  them. 
4. The  Committee  endorses  the proposed  changes 
and additions  to the  rules  on closing  and  marking 
packages.  The  new  rules  may  help  to simplify  these 
processes  and  thereby  save  work. 
(!) OJ  No L 356,  27. 12. 1973,  p. 79. 
No C 180/30 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 28. 7. 77 
5. The  extra  information  required  in respect  of 
the date  of closing,  sampling  and  retesting  of 
germination  will  answer  the trade's  and  user's  needs 
for more  information.  However,  the requirement  of 
additional  information  may  raise  technical  difficulties 
in the design  of labels. 
6. There  are  no objections  to the  delegation  of 
power  from  the Council  to the Commission,  to alter 
Done  at Brussels,  22 June  1977. the lists  of species  covered  by the Directive  or to the 
proposed  rule  on the  certification  of seed  under 
certain  conditions.  Both  changes  answer  practical 
needs. 
7. Doubts  arise,  however,  about  the  rule  for the 
grading  of seed  potatoes  since  nothing  is known  of 
the criteria  which  are  to be laid  down.  In laying 
down  the criteria  for this  grading,  care  will  have  to 
be taken  not  to distort  competition. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the  proposal  for  a Council  Regulation  laying  down,  in respect  of hops, 
the amount  of the aid to producers  for the 1976  harvest 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 138  of 11 June  1977,  page  15. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 8 June  1977,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Articles  47 and 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 
150th  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 22 and  23 June  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  Articles  47 
and 198  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  for an opinion  made  by 
the Council  of the  European  Communities  on 
8 June  1976, 
Having  regard  to its decision  of 22 June  1977  in view 
of the  urgent  nature  of the  matter,  to appoint  a 
rapporteur-general  in accordance  with  Article  18 of 
the Rules  of Procedure, 
Having  regard  to its earlier  work  in this  field  and, 
more  especially,  its opinion  on the  proposal  for  a Council  Regulation  laying  down  in respect  of hops 
the amount  of aid  to producers  for  the  1974 
harvest  (*), 
Having  regard  to the  oral  report  made  by  the 
rapporteur-general,  Mr Bernaert, 
Having  regard  to the  discussions  at its  150th 
plenary  session  on 22 and  23 June  1977  (meeting  of 
22 June  1977), 
HAS  UNANIMOUSLY  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING 
OPINION: 
1. The  Committee  approves  the proposal,  subject 
to the comments  set out  below. 
(!) OJ  No C 286,  15. 12. 1975.