No C 105/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 26. 4. 79 
— charter cargoes carried under foreign flags, 
— the practice of re-registering ships, e.g. under 
open registry flags. 
It would therefore be preferable to list the cargo 
carried under the heading 'liner services', or at least 
to introduce this as an additional heading. 
(b) Annex 1, point 2 (d) 
Liner cargo has always been very varied. Too minute 
a specification of the types of goods carried will lead 
to an incalculable increase in administrative costs. 
The Committee would therefore prefer point 2 (d) to 
be deleted. An acceptable alternative would be to 
require goods to be broken down into a few large 
categories, such as: 
— normal general cargo, 
— containers, 
— vehicles. 
(c) Annex 1, point 3 
In the Committee's view the Commission's proposal 
would give rise to considerable difficulties: — Freight rates: national authorities do not have 
access to the actual freight rates agreed between 
the parties; the collection of data on freight rates 
would also be tantamount to market 
surveillance, which is not the intention. 
— Cargo values: the collection of data relating to 
the value of import and export cargoes would 
pose problems of organization and bring about 
considerable procedural difficulties. 
The Committee is therefore opposed to the collection 
of detailed data. It would be enough simply to 
collect more readily obtainable information, i.e. 
information which can be gleaned from shipping 
documents about freight values (e.g. the net freight 
earnings per vessel per voyage). 
(d) Annex II (Areas of operation) 
With a view to making the procedure a simple and 
uncontroversial as possible there should first of all be 
a trial period with information being gathered with 
regard to just two main EC export trade routes, 
namely: 
— East Africa, 
— Central America (including Mexico and the West 
Indies). 
Done at Brussels, 29 November 1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Fabrizia BADUEL GLORIOSO 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision adopting a second research and development 
programme of the European Economic Community in the sector of medical and public health 
research consisting of five multiannual concerted projects 
(Doc. COM(78) 377 final + Add. 1) 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 213 of 7 September 1978, page 3. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 30 August 1978 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. 
26. 4. 79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 105/23 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 163rd 
plenary session held in Brussels on 29 and 30 November 1978. 
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 198 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of the 
European Communities on 30 August 1978 for an 
opinion, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 
18 October 1978 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 at its meeting held on 21 November 
1978, 
Having regard to the oral report submitted by the 
rapporteur, Mrs Heuser, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 163rd plenary 
session held on 29 and 30 November 1978 (meeting of 
29 November), 
Whereas in its opinion of 23 November 1977 the 
Committee welcomed the first medical and public health 
research programme and the fact that a second 
programme was to be submitted in 1978; Whereas the projects proposed by the Commission under 
this second programme have been selected on the basis of 
their scientific, medico-social and economic importance 
and the feasibility of their implementation and 
cooperation; whereas the work in progress in other 
countries has been taken into account; 
Whereas the Commission's activity in the field of medical 
research should be extended to cover cancer research, in 
particular the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this 
disease, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee welcomes this second medical and public 
health research programme and endorses the projects 
proposed. 
As regards project No 4 (Criteria for perinatal 
monitoring) (page 17 et seq.), the Commission does not 
deal with the concept of infant mortality, which is used 
in different ways in the Member States. Standardization 
of the definition of infant mortality should therefore be a 
precondition for further work under this programme. 
The Committee also calls upon the Commission to give 
attention to cancer research, in particular the prevention, 
diagnosis and treatment of this disease and after-care. 
Done at Brussels, 29 November 1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Fabrizia BADUEL GLORIOSO 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation establishing a European monetary system 
(Doc. COM(78) 572 final 2) 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 266 of 10 November 1978, page 6. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 30 October 1978 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article T98 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community.