17. 9. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 248/29 
basis of the data then available, but that the Scien­
tific Committee for Food would be prepared to 
reclassify it if studies then under way justified this 
procedure. 
2.2.2. The Committee recognizes that the Scientific 
Committee for Food is now of the opinion that fol­
lowing further research a more extensive authoriza­
tion of this substance may be allowed, and that it 
can be transferred from Annex II (temporarily au­
thorized) to Annex I (authorized). 
2.3. Polyoxyethylenes (E 432 to E 436) 
In its 1979 opinion the Committee noted that seven 
polyoxyethylenes were being reassessed by the 
Scientific Committee for Food, and it notes that the 
Done at Brussels, 4 July 1984. 
1. Introduction 
1.1. Floriculture has assumed considerable impor­
tance within the Community. It has a turnover in Scientific Committee for Food considers that five of 
these are now acceptable for inclusion in Annex I: 
2.4. Pectin (E 440a) and amidated pectin (E 440b) 
2.4.1. In its previous opinions the Committee did 
not specifically refer to these substances, but the first 
amendment (78/612/EEC) to the original Directive 
(74/329/EEC) contained specific provision to cover 
a possible change in status of these products. 
2.4.2. The Committee notes that while there has 
been some disagreement on the desirability of merg­
ing E440a and E 440b under one number E 440, 
recent toxicological investigations have shown that 
these two substances can be considered as equiva­
lent. The Working Group of the Advisory Commit­
tee on Foodstuffs agrees to the Commission pro­
posal and the Committee also accepts this view­
point. 
The Chairman 
of the 
Economic and Social Committee 
Francis CEYRAC 
excess of 5 000 million ECU and a workforce of 
around 300 000. Market policy must focus on pre­
venting disruption of the market and/or rapid ac­
tion to stem any disruption which does occur. Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation laying down further provisions in rela­
tion to Regulation (EEC) No 234/68 in respect of certain floricultural products(0 
(84/C 248/16) 
On 24 February 1984 the Council, acting under Articles 43 and 198 of the Treaty estab­
lishing the European Economic Community, consulted the Economic and Social 
Committee on the proposal for a Council Regulation laying down further provisions 
in relation to Regulation (EEC) No 234/68 in respect of certain floricultural pro­
ducts. 
The Section for Agriculture, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's 
work on the subject, adopted its revised opinion on 14 June 1984 in the light of Mr van 
der Veen's oral report. 
At its 218th plenary session (meeting of 5 July 1984), the Economic and Social Com­
mittee adopted the following opinion by 90 votes to four with seven abstentions. 
(') OJ No C 54, 25. 2. 1984, p. 6. 
No C 248/30 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 9. 84 
Cut flowers are highly perishable and shifts in 
supply and demand patterns can provoke short-term 
fluctuations in volume and price. Production and 
marketing methods in this sector closely resemble 
those for highly perishable vegetable products. It is 
possible to grow cut flowers and vegetables in rota­
tion under glass and plastic sheeting. 
1.2. The Committee notes that the previous meas­
ures for this sector have not been enforced inter alia 
because of the lack of reliable statistics. 
It is disappointing that the Member States have 
failed to honour the 1980 gentleman's agreement to 
provide the Commission with the requisite data on 
the volume and price of certain cut flowers. It is 
therefore hardly surprising that the current market 
instruments are incapable of reacting swiftly and 
flexibly to changing market conditions. 
1.3. The importance of the sector for the Commu­
nity inter alia in relation to other agricultural sec­
tors, calls for measures to protect producers against 
temporary market disruption. 
1.4. The Committee feels that the statistics com­
piled should make it possible to pinpoint those var­
ieties subject to the greatest disruption, either be­
cause of unexpected imports or because, while some 
varieties are cultivated for sale on a specific day 
(Mother's Day, 1 May, etc.) the crop can be early or 
late. 
On the basis of such statistics, the Committee by and 
large endorses measures to prevent or eliminate 
market disturbances in order to enable producers to 
earn a reasonable income from the market-place. 
The Committee notes that there is a close resem­
blance between production methods for cut flowers 
and those for certain fruit and vegetables. 
At all events, the Committee feels that specific atten­
tion must be given to producers on lower incomes 
and to those in disadvantaged regions. 
1.5. The Committee feels any additional marketing 
provisions must meet a number of criteria: 
— they must be flexible but capable of providing 
producers with reasonable protection, 
— they must be confined until further notice to 
some basic products most affected by market dis­
ruption, 
— they must involve minimum administrative 
measures so as not to hamper trade. 2. The proposal for amplifying Regulation (EEC) 
No 234/68 
2.1. The Commission proposal falls into two 
parts: 
— a Community 'signal price' is to be fixed on the 
basis of producer prices in the Community, 
— licensing arrangements coupled with securities 
are to be introduced to regulate the market. 
2.2. The Committee welcomes the proposals on 
signal prices. The linkage to production cost trends 
provides a longer-term guarantee against the system 
being undermined. 
2.3. The Committee deplores the Commission's 
failure to submit proposals for defining market dis­
ruption. 
The failure to make adequate arrangements here 
erodes the credibility of the proposals as an effective 
contribution to improved marketing arrangements. 
The Committee suggests arrangements along the 
lines provided for fruit and vegetables in Regulation 
(EEC) No 1035/72. 
2.4. The proposal does not go into details as re­
gards licensing arrangements. It is therefore impos­
sible to assess individual aspects. 
The import licensing arrangement proposed by the 
Commission need to be checked carefully. The 
Committee would point out, however, that these ar­
rangements merely enables the volume of imports to 
be monitored more closely. They are not suitable for 
responding at short notice to disruptions on the 
market and falls in prices. The Commission should 
therefore examine whether a system of reference 
prices could be introduced along the lines of the one 
in force for certain types of fruit and vegetables 
whose prices fluctuate sharply. The Committee also 
believes that GATT restrictions must not be the de­
terminant factor here and that quantitative restric­
tions could also encounter opposition from that 
quarter. 
3. Specific comments 
3.1. Article 1 
The Committee agrees that tighter marketing arran­
gements should initially be confined to roses and 
carnations. A distinction should however be drawn 
at least between spray carnations and other types. 
17. 9. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 248/31 
3.2. Article 2 3.3. Article 6 
'Signal prices' should in principle be fixed for The proposed procedures make it impossible for the 
10-day periods (or multiples of 10) on the basis of Committee to evaluate the licensing arrangements, 
market price trends. 
Done at Brussels, 5 July 1984. 
The Chairman 
of the 
Economic and Social Committee 
Francis CEYRAC 
APPENDIX 
to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee 
A. Rejected amendments 
The following amendments, tabled, in line with the Rules of Procedure, to the revised opinion of 
the Section for Agriculture were defeated by the Committee during the debate: 
Point 1.5: 
Read 'any additional provisions' instead of 'any additional marketing provisions'. 
Voting: 
For: 31. Against: 31. Abstentions: 18. 
Point 2.4, second paragraph: 
Delete the last sentence. 
Voting: 
For: 31. Against: 32. Abstentions: 24. 
Point 3.1.: 
Delete. 
Voting: 
For: 6. Against: substantial majority. Abstentions: 12. 
No C 248/32 Official Journal of the European Communities 17. 9. 84 
B. The following passages of the revised Section opinion were deleted as a result of amendments 
Point 1.1, second paragraph, last sentence: 
'Producers in some Member States are therefore in a position to switch between vegetable and 
cut-flower production.' 
Voting: 
For: substantial majority. Against: 2. Abstentions: 3. 
Point 1.4, second paragraph, first and second sentences: 
'On the basis of these statistics the Committee would look favourably at any measures designed to 
protect the income of producers who have been excluded from market organizations. It notes that 
there is a close resemblance between production methods for cut-flowers and those for certain 
fruit and vegetables. This resemblance is however less relevant as regards consumption and the 
objectives of the CAP.' 
Voting: 
For: Substantial majority. Against: 4. Abstentions: 8. 
Opinion on the economic situation of the Community (mid-1984) 
(84/C 248/17) 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
Council Decision of 18 February 1974 on the attainment of a high degree of conver­
gence of the economic policies of the Member States of the European Economic Com­
munity (•) 
At its 212th plenary session held on 23 and 24 November 1983 the Committee, acting 
on a proposal from its Bureau in accordance with the fourth paragraph of Article 20 of 
its Rules of Procedure, decided to deliver an opinion on its own initiative on the above 
matter. 
Procedure 
The Section for Economic and Financial Questions, which was instructed to prepare 
the work on the matter, adopted its opinion on 26 June 1984 in the light of Mr Pelle-
tier's report. 
The Economic and Social Committee adopted its opinion at its 218th plenary session 
(meeting of 5 July 1984) by a large majority, with four votes against and seven absten­
tions. 
1. Introduction 
By comparison with mid-1983, when the Committee 
last assessed the economic situation, there are more 
(') OJ No L63, 5.3 1974, p. 16. encouraging signs of increased economic activity 
throughout the Community, although some Member 
States seem to be affected more than others. Observ­
ers nevertheless wonder whether the trend has 
changed for good, since it is still extremely vulner­
able to external factors inter alia the budgetary and 
monetary policies pursued by the United States. In