NoC 160/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 1. 7. 85 
Opinion on the draft Council recommendation on social security for volunteer development 
workers (*) 
(85/C 160/07) 
On 7 January 1985, the Council of the European Communities decided to consult the Economic and 
Social Committee, under Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, 
on the abovementioned text. 
The Section for Social Questions, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the 
subject, adopted its opinion on 21 March 1985 in the light of the report by Mr Soulat, rapporteur, and 
Mr Binnenbruck and Mr Rainero, co-rapporteurs. 
At its 225th plenary session (meeting of 27 March 1985), the Economic and Social Committee 
unanimously adopted the following opinion: 
1. Introduction 
1.1. In its opinion and reports, the Committee has on 
several occasions stressed the importance, which should be 
attached to the improvement of social security cover for 
workers and other social groups. It has urged that efforts be 
made at Community level with a view to upwards alignment 
of the Member States' social security systems. 
1.2. In a previous opinion (2), the Committee expressed 
the view that young people wishing to contribute to third 
world development cooperation should be encouraged to do 
so. 
1.3. The Committee, therefore, welcomes the 
Commission's interest in social security for volunteer 
development workers. The Committee has drawn up the 
following general and specific comments on the proposal for 
a recommendation on this subject being submitted to the 
Council by the Commission. 
2. General comments 
2.1. At the beginning of the explanatory memorandum, 
the Commission refers to the conclusions of the European 
Council held in Fontainebleau in June 1984, in which inter 
alia the desire was expressed that the Member States should 
support the setting-up of national committees of European 
volunteer development workers. 
2.1.1. It is clear to the Committee that the European 
Council's wish would not be met by encouraging the 
setting-up of new organizations for volunteer development 
workers in parallel or in competition with the existing 
bodies. 
2.1.2. In most Member States, the non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) involved in development cooperation 
with third world countries have set up joint coordination 
bodies on volunteer development work. At European level 
(») OJ No C 16, 17. 1. 1985, p. 11. 
(2) Opinion on youth employment of 1 June 1983 (OJ No C 211, 
8. 8. 1983). the NGOs' liaison committee at the European Commission 
has a volunteer development work sub-committee. 
2.1.3. The Committee considers therefore that the 
objectives should be to help with the setting-up of 
coordination bodies of this type where they do not already 
exist, to, if necessary, strengthen these bodies in countries 
where they do exist, and to encourage the development of 
coordination between these national bodies at European 
level. 
2.1.4. The Committee considers that the Commission 
should pursue and itensify its relations with the NGOs' EEC 
liaison committee so that appropriate solutions can be found 
to the problems encountered by volunteer development 
workers and optimum use can be made of the experience and 
knowledge acquired or developed by the volunteers during 
their time in third world countries. 
2.2. Having quite rightly stressed the need to encourage 
young people to participate in third world development 
projects, the Commission gives the impression a number of 
times both in the explanatory memorandum and in the text of 
the proposal that volunteer development work could be a 
solution to the problems of the unemployed, and in 
particular the young unemployed. 
2.2.1. The Committee feels that some clarification is 
needed on this last point: 
(a) As pointed out in a previous opinion (3), it should be 
borne in mind that in order to participate in 
development projects volunteer development workers 
must: 
— have completed a course of vocational training and 
possess practical experience in areas where 
developing countries need assistance and have 
requested it (e.g. agriculture, industry, health, 
management, education, research, etc.) - (the 
special contribution that young farmers can make as 
volunteer development workers should be 
emphasized), 
(3) Opinion on youth employment (OJ NoC 211,8. 8. 1983, p. 56, 
point 5.20). 
1. 7. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities NoC 160/17 
—have real motivation but also knowledge, acquired 
before departure, in areas such as sociology and 
methods of instruction to make them better able to 
communicate their skills and contribute to the 
training of locals who will take over after their 
departure. 
Unemployed people meeting these criteria should of 
course be encouraged; it has to be admitted nonetheless 
that young and other unemployed people do not always 
possess this combination of qualities which is essential 
to the success of a cooperation programme. 
(b) As unemployment is infinitely worse in many 
developing countries than in the Community Member 
States, the impression should not be given that by 
sending volunteers abroad we are hoping to reduce 
unemployment in Europe. There is a danger that 
the penultimate paragraph of the explanatory 
memorandum might be interpreted in this way. 
2.3. The situation of volunteer development workers is 
different from that of technical cooperation assistants sent 
abroad by States or companies or that of experts from 
international organizations. Volunteer development 
workers are under contract to NGOs, for which development 
cooperation is a non-profit-making activity based on the 
principles of human solidarity, mutual assistance and 
support for local initiatives. The Commission equates 
volunteer development workers with employed persons 
recruited under local contracts or remunerated at rates 
similar to local rates. But this does not cover all cases. Some 
volunteers receive allowances to cover living expenses rather 
than wages. In addition, volunteers' contracts do not always 
amount to contracts of employment and it is, therefore, not 
always appropriate to use the terms 'employer' and 
'employee'. It should therefore be made clear that volunteer 
development workers are persons who are sent by NGOS to 
work in developing countries and who do not receive wages 
in line with the minimum levels obtaining in the Member 
States. 
2.4. Having noted the inequalities and inadequacies in 
social security cover for volunteer development workers, the 
Committee is in broad agreement with the Commission's 
proposals regarding the principles and methods the Member 
States should follow in implementing social policy and 
introducing complete cover for volunteer development 
workers within the framework of national social security 
systems. Social security cover should be granted not only to 
volunteers and their families but also to recognized 
dependants. 
2.5. The Committee stresses that social security cover 
should embrace not only the period of preparation and the 
period spent in the developing country but also an 
appropriate period immediately following the volunteer's 
return to the sending country, so as to facilitate reintegration, 
among other things. 
2.6. Whilst it appreciates the reasons for the 
Commission's submission of a draft recommendation and does not underestimate the difficulties arising from the 
present major disparities between the various national social 
security systems, the Committee nonetheless considers that a 
Directive would be a more appropriate Community 
instrument for achieving the desired aims. 
3. Specific comments 
3.1. The Committee draws the Commission's attention to 
the importance of the term 'protection sociale', which is used 
in the title of the French version of the Commission proposal, 
being correctly translated into the various languages. 
3.2. The second recital should be amended as follows: 
'Whereas measures to encourage volunteer development 
workers to work on such projects will contribute to the 
practical implementation of cooperation policies 
determined jointly by the Community, the Member States 
and third world countries, the aim of which is to promote 
the economic, social and cultural development of the 
developing countries.' 
3.2.1. The Committee feels that in its present form the 
recital is liable to be misinterpreted and give the impression 
that the Community and the Member States are seeking to 
pursue their own policies in the developing countries. 
3.3. On the basis of the above general comments, the 
Committee suggests that the third and fourth recitals should 
be deleted and replaced by the following: 
'Whereas such work can provide valuable experience and 
further training for persons who are motivated and 
qualified in areas relevant to development work.' 
3.4. Following on from the general comments, the 
Committee suggests that a phrase be inserted in the sixth 
recital stipulating that social security cover should also apply 
to the period following return to the sending country, which 
is necessary for re-integration. 
3.4.1. The Committee suggests that in connection with 
point 3.4 above, paragraph A (1) of the recommendation be 
expanded as follows: 
' . . . developing country, as well as during an appropriate 
period following return, so as to ensure better 
reintegration, . . . .' 
3.5. Bearing in mind the different situations in teh various 
Member States, the list of areas to be covered by social 
security given in paragraph A (2) should not be limitative. 
Limitation could be avoided by inserting the words inter alia 
after the words 'That insurance cover should relate . . . .' 
NoC 160/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 1. 7. 85 
3.5.1. The Committee also recommends that the 
Commission re-examine the translation and wording of the 
various items in point A (2) so as to avoid any possibility of 
restrictive interpretation. (The expression health care, for 
example, might be held not to embrace preventive medicine, 
which is nonetheless particularly important for the category 
of persons covered by the Commission proposal.) 
Done at Brussels, 27 March 1985. 
Opinion on the: 
1. General comments 
1.1. Twenty years after the adoption of the first Directive 
on the harmonization of the regulations governing the 
marketing of medicinal products, followed in the meantime 3.6. The following paragraph 8 should be added to point 
B of the Commission proposal: 
'8. It is recommended that the Member States ensure that 
any measures in the legislative or contractual sphere to 
improve the situation of volunteer development workers 
be prepared and implemented in close consultation with 
NGO liaison or coordination organizations already in 
existence or to be set up at national level.' 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Gerd MUHR 
by four more Directives, there is still no common market for 
medicines in the Community. Such a market would be in the 
interests of consumers, patients and the industry. While the 
Directives and recommendations have led to a further 
alignment of Member States' legislation and administrative — Proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of national measures relating to the placing 
on the market of high-technology medicinal products, particularly those derived from 
biotechnology 
— Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 75/318/EEC on the approximation of the 
laws of Member States relating to analytical, pharmaco-toxicological and clinical standards and 
protocols in respect of the testing of proprietary medicinal products 
— Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 81/852/EEC on the approximation of the 
laws of the Member States relating to analytical, pharmaco-toxicological and clinical standards 
and protocols in respect of the testing of veterinary medicinal products 
— Proposal for a Council recommendation concerning tests relating to the placing on the market of 
proprietary medicinal products 
— Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 65/65/EEC on the approximation of 
provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action relating to proprietary medicinal 
products 
(85/C 160/08) 
On 16 October 1984, the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Article 100 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the abovementioned 
proposals. 
The Section for Protection of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Affairs, which was 
responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 5 March 1985 
in the light of the written report submitted by Mrs Strobel, the rapporteur. 
The Section for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services was asked to draw up a supplementary 
opinion which it adopted on 6 February 1985. The rapporteur was Mr de Bievre. 
At its 225th plenary session (meeting of 27 March 1985), the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following opinion by 73 votes to 38 with nine abstentions (vote recorded):