No C 125/58 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 16. 10. 74 
— increasing  participation  of the  economic  and 
social  groups  in the  Community's  decisions,  in 
particular  through  development  of the role  of the 
Economic  and Social  Committee. 
Lastly,  the Economic  and  Social  Committee  stresses 
the need  for a sustained  flow  of objective  informa-
tion to the public.  Instead  of using  the Community  as 
a scapegoat  by laying  unpopular  measures  at its door 
or, on the other  hand,  presenting  the progress  which 
has been  made  as national  victories,  politicians  have 
the duty  to point  out  to public  opinion  the progress 
made  in  Community  work.  The  professional 
organizations  and  trade  unions  should  assume  the 
same  responsibility  vis-a-vis  economic  and  social 
circles. The Economic  and  Social  Committee  considers  that 
the provision  of honest  information  to the  public 
and the  active  participation  of Community  citizens 
are the only  means  capable  of awakening  a European 
consciousness.  This  is currently  lacking  in the 
building  of Europe;  without  it Europe  will  make  no 
progress. 
Done  at Brussels,  17 July  1974. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPPAS 
Opinion  on the communication  from  the Commission  to the Council  entitled  'Towards 
a new  Energy  Policy  Strategy  for the European  Ccirmunity' 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  not  been  published  in the Official  Journal  of 
the European  Communities. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 10 June  1974,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  communication  to the Eco-
nomic  and  Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  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 
122nd  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 17 and  18 July  1974. 
The full  text  of the Opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the  letter  dated  12 June  1974  in 
which  the  Council  of the  European  Communities 
requested  it  to  deliver  an  opinion  on  the 
Communication  from  the Commission  to the Council 
entitled  'towards  a new  energy  policy  strategy  for the 
European  Community'; 
Having  regard  to the  Treaty  establishing  the  Euro-
pean  Economic  Community,  and  in particular  Article 
198 thereof; 
Having  regard  to the Chairman's  decision  on 13 June 
1974  to  implement  the  urgency  procedure  in accordance  with  Article  46 of the Rules  of Procedure 
and to. entrust  the  Section  for  Energy  and  Nuclear 
Questions,  by virtue  of its terms  of reference,  with 
the preparation  of its Opinion  on the matter; 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  on 17 June  1974 
by the  Chairman  of the  Section  for  Energy  and 
Nuclear  Questions  under  Article  47 of the  Rules  of 
Procedure  to organize  the  section's  work  on  the 
matter; 
Having  regard  to its Opinion  on > the proposal  for 
a Council  Regulation  on  the  granting  of joint 
16.10.74 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 125/59 
undertaking  status  to  undertakings  engaged  in 
hydrocarbon  industry  activities;  (1) 
Having  regard  to its Opinion  on the  proposal  for 
a Council  Regulation  setting  up a common  system 
for hydrocarbon  imports  from  third  countries;  (2) 
Having  regard  to its Opinion  on the Communication 
from  the  Commission  to the  Council  on  'initial 
implementation*of  the guidelines  and  priorities  for a 
Community  energy  policy'  and  the  six  proposals 
annexed  thereto;  (3) 
Having  regard  to its study  on the  'objectives  and 
content  of a common  energy  policy'; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  of the  Section  for 
Nuclear  Questions  and  Energy  adopted  at its meeting 
on 5 July  1974; 
Having  regard  to the verbal  report  presented  by the 
Rapporteur  Mr Delourme,  during  the Section  meeting 
on 5 July  1974  in accordance  with  Article  29 of the 
Rules  of Procedure; 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 122nd  plenary 
session,  held  on 17 and  18 July  1974,  sitting  of 
18 July  1974; 
Whereas  it is necessary  to implement  a consistent  and 
efficient  common  energy  policy, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously  with  6 abstentions: 
In view  of the extremely  tight  deadline  laid  down  for 
preparation  of its Opinion,  the  Committee  submits 
the following  preliminary  comments  while  reserving 
the right  to deliver  an additional  detailed  opinion  at 
a later  date: 
1. GENERAL  COMMENTS 
The communication  proposes  a number  of objectives 
for a common  energy  policy  which  takes  into  account 
the new  energy  supply  situation  in the Community. 
(x) OJ  No C 36, 1. 6. 1973. 
(2) Oj No C 100,  22. 11. 1973. 
(3) OJ  No C 37, 1. 4. 1974. The document  has  three  aspects:  first,  it defines 
objectives;  secondly,  it gives  the  guidelines  to be 
followed  for  each  type  of energy  in pursuance  of 
these  objectives;  and  finally  it contains  some  specific 
proposals  and  a communication  to the Council. 
2. SPECIFIC  COMMENTS 
2.1. Objectives 
2.1.1.  The  Committee  recognizes  that  the objectives 
set out  are valid  and  appropriate  to the new  energy 
supply  conditions.  In addition  the  Committee  wel-
comes  their,  purposeful  and ambitious  nature. 
2.1.2.  The  Committee  also  notes  with  satisfaction 
that these  objectives  are a concrete  reflection  of the 
anxieties  expressed  in the Committee's  study  on the 
Objectives  and content  of a common  energy  policy. 
2.1.3.  The  Committee  regrets,  however,  that  by and 
large  the prospects  for the year  2000  are still  geared 
to a division  between  nuclear  energy  and  fossil  fuels. 
It would  like  to see  the  Commission  undertake  a 
thorough  study  of the  contribution  which  new 
sources  of energy  — such  as solar  energy,  geothermal 
energy  and  even  controlled  thermonuclear  fusion  — 
could  make  to energy  supplies,  following  immediate 
initiation  of an appropriate  research  and development 
drive. 
Moreover,  the  Committee  stresses  that,  to ensure 
achievement  of these  objectives,  the various  Member 
States  must  take  immediate  steps  to define  their  own 
national  objectives  on the  basis  of the  data  of the 
'new  strategy'  and  to adapt  their  action  accordingly. 
2.2. The  means 
2.2.1.  The  Committee  notes  that  although  the Com-
mission  has  defined  the  objectives  judiciously,  the 
way in which  they  are  to be achieved  is indicated 
only in terms  of general  guidelines  — which  the 
Committee  broadly  approves,  subject  to a clearer 
definition  of the  measures  which  the  Commission 
intends  to propose. 
No C 125/60 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 16.10.  74 
2.2.2.  The  Committee  therefore  expects  Community 
institutions  and  Member  Governments  to draw  up 
as a matter  of urgency  the  appropriate  measures  in 
the various  administrative,  financial  and  technical 
fields  with  respect  to research  and  development. 
Given  the relative  closeness  of the first  deadline  given 
by the Commission  and  the  time  which  will  elapse 
before  these  measures  make  themselves  felt,  the 
necessary  concrete  steps  should  be taken  immediately. 
2.3. The  annexed  proposals  and  Communication 
2.3.1.  The  Committee  notes  that  the annexes  to the 
Communication  set  out  some  of the  proposed 
measures.  It agrees  with  these  in principle. 
2.3.2.  When  it draws  up its additional  Opinion,  the 
Committee  will  give  detailed  consideration  to the 
proposal  for a Council  Directive  concerning  the use 
of natural  gas  and  to the  proposal  for  a Council 
Directive  concerning  the  restriction  of the  use  of 
petroleum  products  in power  stations  (Annexes  I and 
II). The  Committee  considers  this  detailed  consider-
ation  to be indispensable. 
2.3.3.  Regarding  the  proposal  for  a Council  Regu-
lation  concerning  the common  rules  for imports  and exports  of hydrocarbons  (Annex  III),  which  brings 
several  previous  proposals  together  in a single  text, 
the Committee  refers  back  to  the  Committee 
Opinions  delivered  on these  matters  (see  footnotes 
1 to 3). 
2.3.4.  Finally,  regarding  the  communication  from 
the Commission  to the  Council  regarding  rational 
utilization  of energy  (Annex  IV),  the Committee  notes 
that it is on the lines  laid  down  in its Study  on the 
objectives  and content  of a common  energy  policy. 
2.3.4.1.  The  Committee  is awaiting  the  proposals 
announced  in the Communication. 
2.3.4.2.  But,  as of now,  it would  emphasize  the 
overriding  need  — pointed  out  by the  Commission 
in the second  paragraph,  point  2, in Annex  4 — to 
adopt  every  precaution  to ensure  that  the measures 
envisaged  cannot  have  harmful  effects  on economic 
and social  development  or in particular,  on the level 
of employment. 
Done  at Brussels,  18 July  1974. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPP  AS 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Regulation  amending  Council  Regulation  (EEC) 
No 2108/70  of 20 October  1970  determining  the  Community  scale  for  grading  pig 
carcases 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 72 of 27 June  1974,  page  31. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 11 June  1974,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Articles  43 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 
122nd  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 17 and 18 July  1974. 
The full  text  of the Opinion  is as follows: