28. 11.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 297/9 
of limit values, is to be carried out in accordance with 
the procedure laid down in Article 10. 
This would make it clear that limit values are still to 
be laid down by the generally applicable procedure 
(viz. individual Directives issued by the Commission 
and Council after consulting the two sides of industry 
and the appropriate institutions), and not by the 
Technical Committee referred to in Article 9. 
The Committee would also suggest that the second 
indent of Article 8 be reworded to read: 
'— of the equivalent provisions in individual 
Directives and their adaptations necessary to 
keep in line with developments in the fields of 
industrial medicine, safety and technology shall 
be made in accordance with the procedure of 
Article 10'. 
2.10. Articles 9 and 10 
Basically, the Committee agrees with the setting-up of 
a Technical Committee for the Directive on the protection of workers from harmful exposure to 
chemical, physical and biological agents at work. But 
it doubts whether such a committee should consist 
solely of representatives of the Member States, and 
thinks it is absolutely essential for employers' and 
workers' representatives to be involved in the 
committee's work. It therefore suggests that the 
Industrial Medicine and Hygiene Committee should 
only be able to take a decision after hearing the views 
of employers and workers at Community level. 
3. Comments on Annex 1 
The Committee notes that the list of agents is not 
complete or exclusive. It also believes that harmful 
effects have not been definitely established in the case 
of all of the agents listed. The Committee does not 
regard the list as a priority list either, but rather as a 
guideline for the Commission's subsequent work, to 
be supplemented in due course. 
Done at Brussels, 26 September 1979. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Raffaele VANNI 
Opinion on the communication from the Commission to the Council on the multi-annual 
programme of the Joint Research Centre 1980 to 1983 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 110 of 3 May 1979, page 4. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 23 March 1979, the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 235 of the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community, and with Article 7 of the Treaty establishing the 
European Atomic Energy Community. 
No C 297/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 11.79 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 
171st plenary session, held in Brussels on 26 and 27 September 1979. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the 
European Atomic Energy Community, and in 
particular Article 7 thereof, and the Treaty 
establishing the European Economic Community, and 
in particular Article 235 thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of 
the European Communities on 23 March 1979 for an 
opinion, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 
3 April 1979, instructing the Section for Energy and 
Nuclear Questions to prepare an opinion and a 
report, 
Having regard to the opinion issued by that Section 
at its meeting on 13 September 1979, 
Having regard to the oral report made at that 
meeting by the rapporteur, Mr von der Decken, 
Having regard to the discussions at its meeting on 
27 September 1979 (171st plenary session of 26 and 
27 September 1979), 
Whereas it is necessary to introduce a common 
research and development policy in order to achieve 
the Community's objectives; 
whereas the Joint Research Centre has an important 
task to fulfil in the implementation of this policy 
through its multi-annual research programme, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
1. The Committee approves the programme 
proposed by the Commission and has the following 
comments to make. 
2. The Committee notes that the extensive re­
structuring and consolidation process the JRC has 
been undergoing since 1972 has been largely brought to a successful conclusion. This is reflected in the fact 
that non-nuclear activities now account for about 
30 % of the R&D programme and that work in the 
nuclear sector is concentrated almost exclusively on 
safety matters. It has also been possible to improve 
the ratio of operating expenditure to personnel 
expenditure, so that this is now approximately 1:1. 
Experience has shown that the ratio of operating 
expenditure to personnel expenditure is an important 
indicator of the efficiency of a research organization. 
3. The Commission and the Council want the JRC, 
together with the indirect R&D programmes, to be 
an instrument of Community research policy. Since 
the funds available for the JRC are of necessity 
limited (the total appropriation at present represents 
about 1 % of the Member States' overall R&D 
expenditure), the Committee shares the view that the 
JRC should concentrate on a few specific areas of 
activity. The Committee endorses the major emphasis 
on energy technology and the increasingly important 
area of environmental protection. 
4. The Committee agrees with the Commission 
that the new programme must by and large be a 
continuation of the present programme, if only to 
ensure that use is made of the extensive investments 
carried out. The Committee also thinks that the 
programme has been adapted in a sensible manner 
through changes of emphasis and direction to take 
account of the Community's evolving requirements, 
the expanding indirect programmes and experience so 
far. This is shown by the fact that about 50 % of the 
activities represent a continuation of work, 15 % new 
activities, 5 % winding-up of work, 15 % the 
execution of projects resulting from studies under the 
present programme and 15 % utilization of major 
investments to the full. 
5. The Committee would stress the importance of 
the largest item in the programme, viz. 'Nuclear 
safety and the fuel cycle' (48 %), and concurs with 
the increased activity in the area of nuclear safety. 
The consequences of the accident at the Three Mile 
Island nuclear power plant should be taken into 
account in the implementation of the programme. In 
particular, the Super Sara project should be checked 
for flexibility with a view to adjustment in the light of 
the problems raised by the accident at Three Mile 
Island. 
28.11.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 297/11 
6. 'Future forms of energy' (16 %) shows almost a 
doubling of personnel for the solar energy 
programme, and provides for new activities 
concerning energy storage and transport, with a 
corresponding reduction of effort in the area of 
hydrogen production. The Committee considers both 
these decisions to be correct. 
7. The Committee welcomes the expansion of 
'Study and protection of the environment' (10 %). It 
endorses the concentration on a few areas of 
research, particularly toxic chemicals. 
8. The cutback in the non-nuclear reference 
materials and techniques programme is doubtless 
necessary on account of the fixing of priorities. The 
Committee thinks, however, that care should be taken 
here to ensure that the efficiency of the Community 
Bureau of Reference (CBR) does not suffer. 9. Attention is drawn to the greater effort on 
training and education under 'Specific support for the 
Commission's sectoral activities'. The JRC could be 
given a special task here as regards aid for developing 
countries. 
10. The Committee shares the Commission's 
concern about the age structure of the staff. It 
recommends that the measures proposed for 
improving this situation be checked and applied in an 
appropriate manner. As regards the possibility of early 
retirement, the Committee would, however, point to 
the danger of the premature departure of particularly 
experienced staff. 
11. The Committee agrees with the Commission 
that it is very important that there should be good 
coordination between JRC programmes and the 
indirect programmes, and good liaison with the 
national programmes. 
Done at Brussels, 27 September 1979. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Raffaele VANNI 
Opinion on the 
— proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 2358/71 on the 
common organization of the market in seeds and Regulation (EEC) No 950/68 on 
the Common Customs Tariff, and the 
— proposal for a Council Regulation supplementing Regulations (EEC) No 1347/78 and 
(EEC) No 0000/79 fixing for the marketing years 1978/79, 1979/80, 1980/81 and 
1981/82 respectively, the amounts of aid granted for seeds 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 211 of 23 August 1979, pages 4 and 8. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 16 August 1979, 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.