No C 56/88 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 7.3.77 
Opinion  on the  proposal  for  a Council  Directive  supplementing,  with  regard  to the 
chilling  process,  amended  Directive  71/118/EEC  on health  problems  affecting  trade  in 
in fresh  poultrymeat 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 200  of 26 August  1976,  page  5. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 3 August  1976,  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 
144th  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 15 and  16 December  1976. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the  Treaty  establishing  the  Euro-
pean  Economic  Community,  and  in particular  Article 
100 thereof, 
Having  regard  to the  request  for an opinion  made 
by the  Council  of the  European  Communities  on 
3 August  1976, 
Having  regard  to the  decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 28 September  1976,  instructing  the  Section  for 
Protection  of the  Environment,  Public  Health  and 
Consumer  Affairs  to draw  up an opinion  and  report 
on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the  opinion  issued  by the Section 
for Protection  of the Environment,  Public  Health  and 
Consumer  Affairs  on 7 December  1976, 
Having  regard  to the  report  presented  by the  rap-
porteur,  Mr.  Bourel, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 144th  plenary 
session  held  on 15 and  16 December  1976  (meeting 
of 16 December  1976), 
H AS  AECPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 1. The  Committee  approves  the draft  Directive  since 
its objective  is to introduce  as rapidly  as possible  a 
process  which  is hygienic,  not  too  expensive,  and 
practical  from  the industrial  point  of view. 
2. In the opinion  of the Committee,  the new  process 
of chilling  %y controlled  and  continuous  immersion' 
is a very  definite  improvement  on the  old  process. 
As well  as being  chilled,  carcases  are  also  washed, 
which  reduces  surface  contamination  and  improves 
hygiene. 
3. The  Committee  accordingly  thinks  that  it is 
vitally  important  for  the  water  used  in the  new 
chilling  process  to come  up to the quality  standards 
laid down  in the  proposal  for  a Council  Directive 
Mating  to the quality  of water  ifor human  consump-
tion (1). 
4. With  regard  to the risk  that  poultry  carcases  may 
absorb  too  much  water  when  chilled  and  washed 
by the immersion  process,  the Committee  notes  that 
the Council  has fixed  a ceiling  of 6%  for extraneous 
waiter  in frozen  and  deep-frozen  poultry  (2) and  is 
pleased  to see  that  it is proposed  to lower  this 
percentage  in  future  years.  The  Committee 
nevertheless  regrets  that  poultry  treated  with  poly-
by 45 votes  to 6, with  36 abstentions: (1) OJ No C 214  of 18. 9. 1975. 
(2) OJ  No L 339,  of 8. 12. 1976. 
7. 3. 77 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 
phosphates  — which  are  permitted  in a number  of 
Member  States  — are  not  covered  by this  Council 
Regulation,  at least  not for the time  being. 
5. The  Committee  also  points  out  that  this  new 
process  must  not  make  poultry  more  expensive  for 
the consumer.  It therefore  considers  that  the  equip-
ment  used  in the chilling  process  should  be of a 'non-
corrodible  material'  (1), as laid  down  in the  basic 
Directive  of 1971,  and  that  the  material  should  not 
be confined  to 'stainless  steel',  as in the Commission 
proposal.  The  original  phrase  of the  basic  Directive 
should  consequently  be retained. 
6. Finally,  the  Committee  recognizes  the  usefulness 
of continuing  research  into  finding  appropriate  new 
processes  which  satisfy  quality  standards  to as high 
a degree  as possible  and  are also  industrially  exploit-
O OJ  No L 55, 8. 3. 1971  (English  Special  Edition  1971, 
page  126). No C 56/89 
able.  The  Committee  asks  the  Commission  to give 
consideration  to any  new  discovery  and,  where 
necessary,  to submit  a report  thereon  to the Council 
after  scrutiny  by  the  Economic  and  Social 
Committee. 
7. The  Committee  would  also  urge  the Commission 
to speed  up its study  of provisions  governing  hygiene 
throughout  the  production  chain,  from  rearing 
through  slaughter  to chilling.  It would  then  be 
possible  to fight  the  serious  danger  of salmonella 
infections  more  effectively. 
Done  at Brussels,  16 December  1976. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
ANNEX 
to the opinion  of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
The following  amendments  were  rejected  during  discussion: 
Paragraph  1 
Replace  paragraph  1 by: 
'The  Economic  and  Social  Committee  can  only  approve  the  proposed  Directive  with  reser-
vations.  It is not  in a position  to say  that  the  proposed  Directive  has  arrived  at the  best 
process  from  the hygienic  and  economic  points  of view. 
The immersion  chilling  process  provided  for  in the  proposed  Directive  is, however,  an 
improvement  on the  spin-chiller  process,  which  is to be definitively  banned  after  January 
1978.' 
Voting 
For: 31, against:  38, abstentions:  22. 
Paragraph  2 
Replace  paragraph  2 by: 
'But the proposed  immersion  chilling  process  does  not  get round  the fact  that  during  the 
chilling,  large  numbers  of eviscerated  carcases  will  pass  through  the same  water,  which  will 
make  cross-contamination  by pathogens  possible.  Furthermore,  the carcases  will  be able  to 
absorb  this  water.' 
Voting 
For: 32, against:  37, abstentions:  27. 
No C 56/90 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 7. 3.77 
New  paragraph  5 
Insert  the following  new  text  between  paragraphs  5 and  6: 
'The  Economic  and  Social  Committee  regrets  that  the  Commission  has  made  no provision 
in the  proposed  Directive  for  spray-air  chilling,  although  such  a process  is industrially 
feasible,  and  poultry  slaughterhouses  in some  Member  States  already  use  chilling  processes 
where  the carcases  do not  pass  through  the same  water.' 
Voting 
For:  26, against:  36, abstentions:  31. 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Decision  concluding  a convention  for the protection 
of the Rhine  against  chemical  pollution  and  an Additional  Agreement  to the Agreement 
signed  in Berne  on 29 April  1963  concerning  the International  Commission  for the 
Protection  of the  Rhine  against  Pollution 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 239  of 12 October  1976,  page  3. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 29 September  1976,  the  Council  referred  the  abovementioned  proposal  to the 
Economic  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 144th  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 15 and  16 December  1976. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the  Treaty  establishing  the Euro-
pean  Economic  Community,  and  in particular  Article 
198 thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  for an opinion  made  by 
the Council  of the  European  Communities  on 
29 September  1976, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Chairman 
on 11  October  1976,  instructing  the  Section  for 
Protection  of the  Environment,  Public  Health  and 
Consumer  Affairs  to draw  up an opinion  and  a 
report  on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the  opinion  issued  by the Section 
for Protection  of the  Environment,  Public  Health 
and Consumer  Affairs  on 7 December  1976, Having  regard  to the  report  submitted  by the  rap-
porteur,  Mr.  de Grave, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 144th  plenary 
session  held  on 15 and  16 December  1976  (meeting 
of 15 December  1976), 
HAS  UNANIMOUSLY  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING 
OPINION: 
1. The  Committee  approves  the proposal. 
2. It should  be pointed  out,  "however,  that  the aims 
of the proposal  can  be achieved  only  if other  specific 
measures  are implemented  and,  in particular,  only  if