9. 7. 79 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 171/27 
Voting 
For: 24; against:  25; abstentions:  10. 
Point  2.1 
Delete  the last  two  sentences: 
'The Section  therefore  suggests  ... deconsolidation  of the GATT-bound  tariff.' 
Reasons 
This  deconsolidation  is unnecessary.  The  market  has not hitherto  been  disrupted  by cheap  imports  and 
the main  supplier,  New  Zealand,  is eager  to avoid  disruption.  France  is the country  which  has hitherto 
been  closed,  and  New  Zealand  lamb  is of a totally  different  quality  from  French  lamb. 
Every  deconsolidation,  moreover,  costs  the Community  something  in ill-feeling  and in compensation. 
Voting 
For: 13; against:  36; abstentions:  9. 
Opinion  on the  draft  Council  recommendation  on the  ratification  of the  International 
Convention  for Safe  Containers  (CSC) 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 44 of 17 February  1979,  page  9. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOP  THE  OPINION 
On 15 February  1979,  the  Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  84 (2)  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 167th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 4 and  5 April  1979. 
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,  the  second 
paragraph  of Article  84 thereof, 
Having  regard  to the  request  made  by the  Council  of 
the European  Communities  on 15 February  1979  for an 
opinion, 
Having  regard  to the  decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 
20 February  1979,  instructing  the Section  for Transport and Communications  to draw  up an opinion  on the 
matter, 
Having  regard  to Articles  29, 46 and  47 of the Rules  of 
Procedure, 
Having  regard  to the  opinion  issued  by the  Section  for 
Transport  and  Communications  at its 125th  meeting, 
held  on 14 March  1979, 
Having  regard  to  the  oral  report  made  by  the 
rapporteur,  Mr Hennig, 
No C 171/28 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 9. 7. 79 
Having  regard  to the  discussions  at its 167th  plenary 
session,  held  on 4 and  5 April  1979  (meeting  of 4 April 
1979), 
Whereas  containers  have  not  so far  posed  any  major 
safety  problems  at international  level; 
Whereas,  nevertheless,  the fear  that  certain  States  might 
adopt  container  safety  rules  unilaterally,  which  could 
have  repercussions  on the  movement  of containers  and 
the goods  contained  therein  —  and  hence  on 
international  trade  — prompted  the  United  Nations 
Inter-Governmental  Maritime  Consultative 
Organization  (IMCO)  to draft  a convention,  which  was 
concluded  in Geneva  on 2 December  1972  under  the 
title of 'International  Convention  for  Safe  Containers' 
(CSC); 
Done  at Brussels,  4 April  1979. Whereas  the  Convention  has  been  open  for  accession 
since  15 January  1973;  whereas  it entered  into  force  on 
6 September  1977,  after  the  requisite  number  of 
countries  had  acceded, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee  welcomes  the Commission's  document, 
in which  it is recommended  that  Member  States  should 
ratify  the International  Convention  for Safe  Containers, 
if they  have  not  yet done  so or accede  thereto  before  1 
January  1980. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Fabrizia  BADUEL  GLORIOSO 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Regulation  amending  Regulation  (EEC)  No 1191/69 
on action  by Member  States  concerning  the obligations  inherent  in the concept  of a public 
service  in transport  by rail,  road  and  inland  waterway  and  Regulation  (EEC)  No 1107/70 
on the granting  of aids  for transport  by rail,  road  and  inland  waterway 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 139  of 14 June  1978,  page  3. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 6 June  1978,  the  Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the  Economic  and 
Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Articles  75 and  94 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 167th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 4 and  5 April  1979. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: