12. 11.82 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 296/5 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation on the granting of limited financial 
support in the field of transport infrastructure 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 226 of 31 August 1982, page 14. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 4 August 1982 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 75 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 
200th plenary session held in Brussels on 12, 13 and 14 October 1982. 
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 75 thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of 
the European Communities on 4 August 1982 for an 
opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation on 
the granting of limited financial support in the field 
of transport infrastructure, 
Having regard to the Commission proposal of 5 July 
1976 for a Regulation on support for projects of 
Community interest in transport infrastructure ('), 
and the Committee's opinion thereon of 15 December 
1976 O, 
Having regard to the Commission memorandum of 
14 November 1979 on the role of the Community in 
the development of transport infrastructure, and the 
Committee's opinion thereon of 26 February 1981 (3), 
Having regard to the Commission proposal of 18 
February 1980 amending the abovementioned draft 
Regulation (4), and the Committee's opinion thereon 
of 25 September 1980 (5), 
Having regard to the Council resolution of 15 
December 1981 on Community support for transport 
(') OJ No C 207, 2. 9. 1976, p. 9. 
(2) OJ No C 56, 7. 3. 1977, p. 83. 
(') OJ No C 138, 9. 6. 1981, p. 61. 
(4) OJ No C 89, 10. 4. 1980, p. 4. 
(s) OJ No C 300, 18. 11. 1980. p. 1. infrastructure projects, and the desire expressed in the 
resolution to advance preparations for the intro­
duction of a system of financial support, 
Having regard to the decision taken by the 
Committee's chairman on 31 August 1982 instructing 
the Section for Transport and Communications to 
draw up an opinion on this present proposal (Article 
22 of the Rules of Procedure), 
Having regard to the decision taken by the 
abovementioned Section on 14 September 1982 to 
recommend to the new Committee — on account of 
the urgency of the matter and the termination of the 
current Committee's period of office on 18 September 
1982 — that a rapporteur-general be appointed for 
this subject, 
Having regard to its decision on 14 October 1982 
appointing Mr Kenna rapporteur-general under 
Article 18 of the Rules of Procedure, 
Having regard to Article 46 of the Rules of 
Procedure, 
Having regard to the oral report made by the rap­
porteur-general, 
Having regard to the discussions at the Committee's 
inaugural plenary session (seventh period of office) 
on 12 to 14 October 1982 (meeting of 14 October 
1982), 
Whereas the Commission presented the Council on 5 
July 1976 with an initial proposal for a Regulation on 
support for projects of Community interest in 
transport infrastructure; whereas it submitted an 
No C 296/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 12. 11.82 
amendment to this proposal on 18 February 1980 
extending its scope to include infrastructure projects 
in third countries; 
Whereas the Committee has, as stated above, given its 
basic approval to both of these documents, and thus 
endorsed financial support for such projects from the 
Community budget instead of from a special fund; 
Whereas the Council Decision of 20 February 1978 
instituting a consultation procedure and setting up a 
committee in the field of transport infrastructure (') 
defines projects of Community interest as follows: 
'Any major project which is designed to create new 
transport links, remove a bottleneck or appreciably 
increase the capacity of existing transport links and 
which belongs to one of the following categories: (a) 
projects concerning cross-frontier routes; (b) projects 
of a Member State having a significant effect on 
traffic between Member States or with third 
countries; (c) projects affecting a Community policy 
and in particular the regional policy; (d) projects 
which make use of new transport technologies which 
could be used for long-distance interurban transport', 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
1. While not wishing to enter into the issues of 
budgetary procedure involved, the Committee 
endorses this proposal as an important, albeit limited, 
first step towards Community financing of infra­
structure, subject to the following comments. 
2. The Committee is pleased to note that on 
15 December 1981 the Council expressed its desire 
to advance the preparations for the introduction of 
a system of financial support for transport 
infrastructure of Community interest. As a result, a 
commitment appropriation of 10 million ECU for 
financial support of transport infrastructure projects 
was inscribed in the European Communities' general 
budget for 1982 (Chapter 78, Article 781) (2). 
(') OJ No L 54, 25. 2. 1978, p. 16. 
(2) OJ No L 31, 8. 2. 1982, pp. 707 and 775. 3. In view of the relatively small sum involved, the 
Committee considers that the funds should not be 
dispersed but concentrated on one or two projects in 
order to demonstrate in a tangible way the value of 
Community funding. 
4. For the same reason, it would deplore any 
transfer of these funds to quite separate purposes 
unconnected with transport infrastructure (a 
possibility already mentioned by the Commission). 
The adoption by 31 October 1982 of a Council Regu­
lation on limited support in the field of transport infra­
structure is, therefore, considered by the Committee 
to be an urgent necessity on political grounds so that 
the Council can be seen to be serious about acting in 
the field of transport infrastructure in keeping with its 
resolution of 15 December 1981 and the danger of 
the funds being used for other purposes can be 
dispelled. 
5. This proposed Council Regulation on limited 
support is, however, in the Committee's view no subs­
titute for an urgently required basic Regulation with 
wider scope in respect of transport infrastructure 
projects of Community interest in general, which the 
Council should adopt on the basis of the 
Commission's proposal of 5 July 1976. 
Specific comments 
1. The Committee considers that the Commission's 
proposal shows some inconsistencies. 
On the one hand, Article 1 is worded in very general 
terms and, particularly in conjunction with the 
appended list of projects, gives the impression that the 
proposal takes a long-term approach and is not 
confined to specific projects. 
On the other hand, it is stressed in the recitals that 
the aim is to expand the totality of the credit available 
in the 1982 budget, although this amount (10 million 
ECU) would in view of the provisions of Article 2 
(20 °/o clause) be insufficient to finance the first 
project. 
2. Uniform apportionment among a number of the 
projects listed would, however, make the value of the 
financial support more than doubtful. 
The present drafting of Article 1, covering both rail 
links and preparatory work to speed up 
implementation of projects affecting traffic between 
Member States, is too general to allow concentration 
of support. 
12. 11.82 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 296/7 
3. The Committee therefore takes the view that 
Article 1 should be worded much more precisely so as 
to avoid a dispersion of the limited funds available for 
1982. 
4. It should also be made clearer that the 
Commission's present proposal is confined to the 
budget year 1982, pending a Council decision on the 
Commission proposal of 1976, which is more 
extensive in scope. The Council would thereby be 
acknowledging that it intends at last to adopt a more 
fundamental position on infrastructure policy in the 
near future. 
5. The Committee has repeatedly stressed that the 
development of transport infrastructure in the 
Community should be a priority aim of a common 
transport policy with a regional dimension. But 
regional policy instruments, too, must not be used 
Done at Brussels on 14 October 1982. 
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 235 and 198 thereof, 
Having Regard to the request made by the Council of 
the European Communities on 7 July 1982 for an according to the principle of 'something for 
everyone', which would be tantamount to a waste of 
budget funds. 
6. Without wishing to anticipate further Council 
decisions or curtail the powers of the committee in 
the field of transport infrastructure, the Committee 
accordingly recommends the Council to take a 
decision that will make it possible to give effective 
support in 1982 to an infrastructure project in the 
south of the Community (Domodossola marshalling 
yard), since only by eliminating bottlenecks in this 
area will it be possible to increase traffic flows from 
the northern part of the Community. 
7. Finally, the Committee would urgently call upon 
the Council to adopt the Commission's proposal of 
1976 so as to open up the way for a more extensive 
Community infrastructure policy. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois CEYRAC 
opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation 
amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 1736/79 of 
3 August 1979 on interest subsidies for certain loans 
granted under the European Monetary System, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 
13 October 1982, and approved by its General 
Assembly on 14 October 1982, to appoint a rap­
porteur-general to draw up an opinion on the matter, Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Council Regulation (EEC) 
No 1736/79 of 3 August 1979 on interest subsidies for certain loans granted under the 
European Monetary System 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 196 of 30 July 1982, page 6. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 7 July 1982 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Articles 198 and 235 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 
200th plenary session held in Brussels on 12, 13 and 14 October 1982.