No C 269/20 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 13. 11. 78 
be undertaken  as part  of the Community's  research  and 
development  programme,  will  take  on an increasing 
significance  as the nuclear  power  programme  expands. 
In pursuing  this  research  and  development  effort,  the 
Committee  also  believes  that  it is essential  to ensure  that 
progress  on the engineering  side keeps  pace  with  advances 
in nuclear  technology. 
1.10.  The  Committee  welcomes  the establishment  of 
the ad hoc  committee  to assist  the Commission  and 
Council  in elaborating  a Community  strategy  on 
reprocessing.  The  Committee  believes  that in elaborating 
such a strategy  at Community  level,  a very  large  number 
of problems  - economic,  structural  and  political  - will 
inevitably  arise.  It is therefore  vital  that  all interested 
economic  and  social  parties  drawn  from  the Member 
Done  at Brussels,  27 April  1978. States  must  be adequately  represented.  The  work  of this 
committee  will  be of crucial  importance  in providing  the 
necessary  details  which  are lacking  in the Commission's 
present  proposals  and in 'ensuring  an even  distribution  of 
effort  among  the interested  parties',  as proposed  by the 
Commission  in the ad hoc  committee's  draft  mandate. 
Such  an arrangement  is the only  one whereby  the strategy 
proposed  by the Commission  for reprocessing  irradiated 
fuels  can be put into  effect  in a truly  Community  sense. 
The Committee  notes  that  the ad hoc  committee  will 
report  to the Commission  and the Council  before  the end 
of 1978.  The Committee  would  welcome  the opportunity 
of commenting  on thcad  hoc committee's  report  before  it 
is finalized,  when  it is hoped  that  there  will  be sufficient 
detail  in the  proposals  to enable  it to give  a more 
considered  judgement. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the approximation  of the laws  of the 
Member  States  relating  to common  provisions  for machine-tools  and similar  machines  for the 
working  of metals,  wood,  paper  and other  materials  and the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on 
the approximation  of the laws  of the Member  States  relating  to hand-held,  power-driven, 
portable  grinding  machines 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 23 of 27 January  1978,  pages  4 and  19. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 16 January  1978,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic  and 
Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  100  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 159th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978. 
The full  text of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to Article  100 of the Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community, 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the Council  of the 
European  Communities  on 23 January  1978  for  an 
opinion, Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by the Bureau  of the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  on 31 January  1978, 
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 the Section  for 
Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and Services  at its meeting  on 
10 May  1978, 
13. 11. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 269/21 
Having  regard  to the oral  report  made  by the rapporteur, 
Mr Marvier, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 159th  plenary 
session,  held  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978  (meeting  of 
31 May  1978), 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a unanimous  vote: 
The Committee  approves  the two proposals,  subject  to the 
comments  set out below: 
1. General  comments 
The Committee  approves  in principle  the two  proposals 
which  are designed  to align  the appropriate  national  laws 
and, in particular,  to prevent  the introduction  of new barriers  to trade  affecting  States  which  as yet have  no laws 
in this  field. 
2. Specific  comments 
2.1. Common  Customs  Tariff  subheadings  84.45  B 
and C and  heading  Nos  84.49  and  85.05  are  not 
sufficiently  explicit  to enable  the outline  Directive  to be 
implemented.  The  types  of machines  coming  under  these 
headings  will  have  to be defined  more  accurately. 
2.2. The  French  version  of the  end  of the  first 
paragraph  of Article  26 should  be changed  to read  'si les 
modifications  apportees  aboutissent  a obtenir  une 
securite  au moins  egale'. 
2.3. Point  1 in Annex  II should  be re-worded  to read: 
'The  approved  bodies  responsible  for endorsing  the 
examination  of  machine-tools  and  similar 
machines  . . .' (rest  unchanged). 
Done  at Brussels,  31 May  1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Seventh  Council  Directive  on the harmonization  of the laws  of 
the Member  States  relating  to turnover  taxes  - common  system  of value  added  tax to be applied 
to works  of art, collectors'  items,  antiques  and  used  goods 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 26 of 1 February  1978,  page  2. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 18 January  1978,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic  and 
Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Articles  99, 100  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 159th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: