30. 10. 73 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 91/11 
II 
(Preparatory  Acts) 
COUNCIL 
CONSULTATION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
on a proposal  for  a Council  Decision  relating  to the  opening  of negotiations  for 
an agreement  between  the  European  Economic  Community  and  certain  third 
countries  on the  rules  to be applied  to the  international  carriage  of passengers 
by coach  and  bus 
A. REQUEST  FOR  AN  OPINION 
At its  226th  meeting  held  on  5 February  1973,  the  Council  decided  to consult  the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  on the  above  proposal  for  a Decision. 
The request  for an Opinion  was  sent  by the  President  of the  Council  to the  Chairman  of 
the Economic  and  Social  Committee  on 6 February  1973. 
B. TEXT  WHICH  WAS  THE  SUBJECT  OF  THE  CONSULTATION 
The text  which  was  the subject  of the  consultation  has  not  yet been  published  in the  Offi-
cial Journal  of  the  European  Communities. 
C. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
At its  113th  Plenary  Session  held  in Brussels  on  26  and  27  September  1973,  the 
Committee  adopted  its Opinion  on the  abovementioned  text  by a unanimous  vote  of all 
the members  present  or represented. 
The text  of the  Opinion  is as follows  : 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the  letter  of 6 February  1973  in 
which  the  President  of the  Council  of the  European 
Communities  referred  to the  Economic  and  Social Committee  the  'proposal  for  a Council  Decision 
relating  to the  opening  of negotiations  for  an agree-
ment  between  the  European  Economic  Community 
and certain  third  countries  on the  rules  to be applied 
to the  international  carriage  of passengers  by coach 
and bus'; 
No C 91/12 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 30. 10.  73 
Having  regard  to the Treaty  establishing  the European 
Economic  Community,  and  in particular  Article  75 
thereof; 
Having  regard  to Council  Regulation  No  117/66/EEC 
of 28 July  1966  on the  introduction  of common  rules 
for the  international  carriage  of passengers  by coach 
and bus; 
Having  regard  to Regulation  (EEC)  Nos  516/72  and 
517/72  of 28 February  1972,  made  in accordance  with 
Articles  7 and  8 of the aforementioned  Regulation  No 
117/66/EEC; 
Having  regard  to the decision  of the Chairman  of the 
Committee  on 9 February  in accordance  with  Article 
22 of the  Rules  of Procedure,  instructing  the Section 
for Transport  and  Communications  to prepare  the 
report  and  Opinion  on the  matter; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  delivered  by  the 
Section  for Transport  and  Communications  at its 84th 
meeting,  held  on 11 July  1973; 
Having  regard  to the  report  drawn  up by the  rappor-
teur,  Mr Bodart,  and  his co-rapporteurs,  Mr Gailey  and 
Mr Schmit; 
Having  regard  to its discussions  on 26  September 
1973  at its 113th  Plenary  Session,  held  on 26 and  27 
September  1973; 
Whereas  in accordance  with  Article  4 (2) of Regula-
tion No  117/66/EEC  the Community  is to enter  into 
any negotiations  with  third  countries  which  may  be 
found  necessary  for  the  purposes  of implementing 
that Regulation  ; 
Whereas  in accordance  with  that  Regulation  such 
negotiations  should  mainly  relate  to the  problem 
arising  from  the transit  of occasional  services  through 
third-country  territory; 
Whereas  the  circumstances  prevailing  in 1966  have 
since  changed  and  the  regulations  made  by  the Community  in respect  of international  road  transport 
services  within  the  Community  now  affect  not  only 
occasional  services  but  also  regular  and  shuttle 
services  ; 
Whereas  the  negotiations  provided  for in Article  4(2) 
of Regulation  No  117/66/EEC  should  therefore  be 
extended  to cover  all road  passenger  services  which 
have  to transit  the  territory  of the  third  countries 
concerned  ; 
Whereas  Article  4(3)  of Regulation  No  117/66/EEC 
provides  that  'the  Council  shall,  as soon  as possible 
and on a proposal  from  the  Commission,  lay  down 
the common  rules  necessary  in order  to enable  appli-
cation  of this  Regulation  to be extended  to interna-
tional  carriage  of passengers  by road  to or from  third 
countries'; 
Whereas  the  preliminary  requirement  mentioned 
above  were  fulfilled  by Regulations  (EEC)  No 516/72 
and 517/72  of 28 February  1972; 
Whereas  there  is a marked  increase  in the use  of these 
services  for purposes  of tourism, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION  : 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  approves  the 
Commission's  draft  decision  and  unreservedly 
endorses  its point  of view. 
It feels,  in fact,  that  as soon  as possible  the  Commis-
sion should  be authorized  by the Council  to enter  into 
the necessary  negotiations  with  the  nine  countries  in 
question,  bearing  in mind  the harmonization  of condi-
tions  applicable  to the  carriers  of each  country 
concerned. 
The Committee  also  feels  that  transport  between  third 
countries  crossing  one  or more  Member  States  in 
transit  should  also  be covered  by the  proposal  under 
discussion. 
Done  at Brussels,  26 September  1973. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPPAS