No C 237/42 Official Journal of the European Communities 12. 9. 88 
been achieved or whether, as the Commission states, 
the conditions for the third phase's launch obtained. 
Therefore the Committee is in no position to make any 
substantive comments. 
2.3. Nevertheless the Committee is fully aware that 
any delay in the decision to move on to the third phase 
would interrupt the programme's implementation and 
might ultimately threaten the very existence of research 
units which are doing some outstanding work together 
Done at Brussels, 7 July 1988. 
The Committee endorses the Commission proposal in 
the light of the following considerations. 
1. This proposal is necessary because the common 
customs tariff (CCT) as used up to 31 December 1987 
lapsed on 1 January 1988. It has been replaced by the 
(1) OJNoC 179,8.7. 1988, p. 10. in every part of the Community. Furthermore, it is not 
the object of the present proposal to amend or revise 
the programme. 
2.4. At all events, the Committee will comment on 
the progress made in implementing the programme 
when it delivers its Opinion on the proposal referred 
to in 1.5 above concerning a specific programme for the 
completion of a machine translation system of advanced 
design, EUROTRA. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
harmonized commodity description and coding system 
('harmonized system') which applies at international 
level, and not only to trade within the Community. 
2. The proposed arrangements were in fact enacted 
by the Commission in Regulation (EEC) No 4000/87 
of 23 December 1987. Since however they entail an 
amendment to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2771/75 
which can only be undertaken by the Council, the above 
Regulation must be repealed and superseded by the new 
proposal. Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) amending Regulation (EEC) 
No 2771/75 on the common organization of the market in eggs(!) 
(88/C 237/14) 
On 24 June 1988 the Council, acting under Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, asked the Economic and Social Committee for an Opinion on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
The Economic and Social Committee appointed Mr Wick as the rapporteur-general for the 
Opinion. 
The Committee unanimously adopted the following Opinion at its 257th plenary session 
(meeting of 6 July 1988). 
12. 9. 88 - Official Journal of the European Communities No C 237/43 
3. With the introduction of the harmonized system, 
'cooked eggs in shell' and 'cooked eggs not in shell' 
(called moulded egg products) which were classified 
under CCT heading 21.07 until 31 December 1987 and 
were therefore not considered Annexe II products, are 
now classified under headings 4.07 and 4.08. They are thus subject to the levies provided for in Regulation 
(EEC) No 2771/75. It is appropriate and logical to 
classify cooked eggs in shell and cooked eggs not in 
shell as other preserved eggs in shell and not in shell. 
This classification means that these products will also 
have to be covered by Regulation (EEC) No 2771/85. 
Done at Brussels, 6 July 1988. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of the laws, regulations 
and administrative provisions of the Member States concerning the labelling of tobacco 
products (*) 
(88/C 237/15) 
On 22 February 1988 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Article 100 A of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
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 
7 June 1988. The rapporteur was Mr Noordwal. 
At its 257th plenary session (meeting of 7 July 1988) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion by 42 votes for, 20 against and 14 abstentions (vote recorded). 
1. Introduction 
1.1. The purpose of the Commission proposal is to 
ensure that when all barriers to trade are removed 
in 1992 the remaining differences in the labelling of 
tobacco products are also eliminated. 
1.2. The Commission is also seeking to meet the 
requirements of Article 100 A (3) of the Single Act 
which stipulates that 'The Commission, in its proposals 
(...) concerning health, safety, environmental protection 
and consumer protection, will take as a base a high 
level of protection.' 
1.3. Having dealt at length with the existing labelling 
requirements for cigarettes in the Member States, the 
(!) OJ No C 48, 20. 2. 1988, p. 8. Commission covers cigarillos, cigars, pipe and chewing 
tobacco with a brief reference to France, Ireland and 
Spain. 
1.4. In general, the Committee endorses the pro­
posal, subject to the following comments. 
1.5. The usefulness of the Commission proposal for 
products other than cigarettes and rolling tobacco is 
not clearly demonstrated, particularly in view of the 
heavy costs for cigars and pipe tobacco, which occupy 
a small and decreasing segment of the market. 
1.6. The Committee has reservations about the har­
monized labelling, e.g. for cigarette packets, proposed 
by the Commission. In countries with two or more