28. 7. 86 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 189/35 
3.5.3. The Committee stresses the need for proper social 
protection cover for part-time workers, outworkers and 
those employed in new working schemes. 
3.6. Action F — sharing of family and occupational 
responsibilities 
3.6.1. The Committee fully supports the various 
Commission proposals for the sharing of responsibilities 
and for reconciling family duties and work. New adaptable 
working methods, facilitated by the transition to new 
technologies, ought to be handled in a socially sophisti­
cated way conducive to maximizing such dual family/work 
responsibilities. Moreover, improved child-care and day­
care facilities and other similar forms of assistance 
proposed by the Commission would help generate new 
employment openings. 
3.6.2. As in point 3.5.2, the draft Directive on parental 
leave and leave for family reasons can be seen as going in 
the same direction, in a social policy sense, as the Single Act 
on the Internal Market, helping to align differently-costed 
and varying practices concerning occupational interrup­
tions in the Member States. 3.7. Action G 
attitudes increasing awareness — changing 
3.7.1. The Committee attaches particular importance to 
this aspect of the campaign for equal opportunities, and to 
the crucial role of the media in helping to form a new 
awareness. 
3.7.2. The Committee takes the opportunity to applaud 
the work done by the Commission and also by the Council 
of Europe in this respect, notably its report on women in 
positions of responsibility. 
3.7.3. Increasing popular awareness and changing 
entrenched attitudes, nonetheless, takes time and depends 
to a considerable degree on a sense of civic awareness and 
social solidarity. In this connection the role and cooper­
ation of the social partners is central; and the Committee 
therefore calls upon all groups and socio-professional 
organizations represented in its midst to give their full 
support to the large-scale, Community-wide, information 
campaign envisaged by the Commission. In this same 
context and as indicated earlier, (point 3.1.1), the 
Committee specifically urges the setting-up of joint worker-
management consultative committees in order to initiate 
and regularly monitor positive action plans. The Commit­
tee considers that an own-initiative opinion ought to be 
undertaken in order to draw up ideas on how to help 
promovate a new awareness and positive actions in favour 
of equal opportunities for women. 
Done at Brussels on 24 April 1986. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Gerd MUHR 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 77/99/EEC on health 
problems affecting intra-Community trade in meat products (J) 
(86/C 189/13) 
On 6 January 1986 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the abovementioned 
proposal. 
The Section for Agriculture, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the 
subject, adopted its opinion on 3 April 1986, in the light of the oral report by Mr Wick. 
At its 236th plenary session (meeting of 24 April 1986), the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following opinion with no dissenting votes but with seven abstentions. 
0) OJ No C 349, 31. 12. 1985, p. 43. 
No C 189/36 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 7. 86 
The Committee welcomes the Commission proposal, 
subject to the following comments: 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Committee would refer first of all to the basic 
comments made in its opinion on the Commission proposal 
concerning health problems affecting intra-Community 
trade in fresh meat. 
1.2. The Committee takes the view that the present 
proposal concerning health problems affecting intra-
Community trade in meat products can basically help to 
facilitate intra-Community trade and at the same time 
improve consumer protection in the Community. 
The Committee accordingly welcomes the updating of 
Directive 77/99/EEC, which it regards as an appropriate 
complement to Directive 64/433/EEC. It therefore refers 
also to its opinion of December 1981 on this Directive (J). 
1.3. The Committee reiterates its view that Community 
provisions of this kind must be in line with the latest 
developments in public health and in technology, so as to 
take account of the interests of producers and the 
requirements of consumers. 
1.4. The Committee considers it important (a) that in 
view of the costs involved the checks and inspections 
should be confined to what is necessary, (b) that the 
procedure should remain practicable, and (c) that the 
protection of health should be assured. 
1.5. Given in particular the problems the new Member 
States, Spain and Portugal, still have with exotic animal 
diseases, the Committee notes with satisfaction that, 
according to information provided by the Commission, 
these countries are willing to adapt to existing Community 
provisions. 
1.6. The Committee notes that the Directive is to apply 
only to meat products that are the subject of commercial 
transactions between Member States. It also notes that 
under the Directive mechanically recovered meat, which is 
not marketable as such in the Community, may be 
processed into meat products. The Committee takes the 
view that this must not pose any risk to the consumer or 
involve any misleading of the consumer. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. Article 1 (1) 
With regard to the new text of paragraph 2 of Article 1, the 
Committee assumes that there are national provisions 
(!) OJ No C 64, 15. 3. 1982. ensuring that consumption of meat products not covered 
by the Directive does not involve any risk. 
2.2. Article 1 (5) 
The Committee considers that the existing arrangements 
for the inspection of establishments, under which vete­
rinary experts of the Commission operate jointly with the 
competent authorities of the Member States, have proved 
to be satisfactory. 
In its view it is therefore right that the existing procedure 
has been retained and that the veterinary experts of the 
Commission will continue to operate jointly with the 
competent authorities of the Member States. The Member 
States should be informed about the results of the 
investigation. 
2.3. Article 1 (6) 
The Committee suggests that the parties concerned be 
consulted in connection with the drawing-up of the code 
relating to the rules to be applied during inspections. 
2.4. Annex A, Chapter II, point 15 
The Committee would suggest that the Commission review 
the use of terms such as 'streng' and 'peinlich' in the 
German text (the English version of the sentence in 
question reads: 'Absolute cleanliness shall be required of 
staff, premises and equipment.'); more appropriate 
wording should be employed. 
2.5. Annex A, Chapter II, point 17 
The Committee considers that the reference to containers 
should be deleted, since it is impossible to prevent 
containers from coming into direct contact with the 
ground. 
2.6. Annex A, Chapter II, point 20 
As regards detergents and disinfectants, the Committee 
would suggest that provision also be made for protecting 
the persons involved. It proposes the following addition: 
'The composition of detergents, disinfectants and similar 
substances must be such that they do not endanger the 
health of the persons involved. Appropriate protective 
clothing must be used where necessary'. 
2.7. Annex A, Chapter 11, point 21 
The Committee assumes that in the application of this 
provision arbitrary treatment of employees will be 
precluded. 
2.8. Annex A, Chapter 11, point 25 (d) 
The Committee assumes that any risk to the consumer will 
be precluded here. 
2.9. Annex A, Chapter HI, point 26 
The Committee considers that the phrase 'under satisfac­
tory hygiene conditions' creates the impression that only a 
minimum of hygiene needs to be observed. It suggests that 
28. 7. 86 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 189/37 
the requirements be clarified by stipulating 'under adequate 
hygiene conditions'. 
2.10. Annex A, Chapter IV, point 31 
The Committee would suggest that in conjunction with the 
tasks specified in the fifth indent reference be made to the 
danger of contamination of meat products by meat, so as to 
make the consumer protection provisions complete. 
2.11. Annex A, Chapter VI, point 38 
In connection with the word 'satisfactory' the Committee 
would refer to its comments on Annex A, Chapter HI, point 
26. 
2.12. Annex A, Chapter VI, point 41 
The Committee assumes that wrapping and packaging of 
meat products will remain practicable operations in the 
circumstances provided for here. 
Done at Brussels on 24 April 1986. The Committee would observe that a careful check of the 
terms used is called for not just in point 41 but throughout 
the document. 
2.13. Annex A, Chapter VII, point 45 (a) 
The Committee would point to the need to take account of 
the new Member States, Spain and Portugal. 
2.14. Annex A, Chapter VIII, point 46 
The Committee assumes that it is precluded that a health 
certificate will be issued for meat products incorporating 
meat from animals that have been treated with hormones. 
2.15. Annex B 
The Committee calls upon all concerned to continue their 
efforts to create in all the Member States of the Community 
the conditions that will enable health certificates to be 
dispensed with in intra-Community trade. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Gerd MUHR