No C 310/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 30. 11. 81 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 1837/80 
on the common organization of the market in sheepmeat and goatmeat 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 160 of 30 June 1981, page 5. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 25 June 1981 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article 43 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 
190th plenary session held in Brussels on 23 and 24 September 1981. 
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 43 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request from the Council of the 
European Communities on 25 June 1981 for an opinion 
on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending 
Regulation (EEC) No 1837/80 on the common 
organization of the market in sheepmeat and 
goatmeat, 
Having regard to the decision of its Bureau on 30 June 
1981 to refer the matter to the Section for Agriculture, 
Having regard to previous committee work in this field 
and, in particular, the opinion of 5 April 1979 on the 
proposal for a Council Regulation on the common 
organization of the market in sheepmeat (J), 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by the Section for 
Agriculture at its 227th meeting held on 3 September 
1981, 
Having regard to the oral report of the Rapporteur, Mr 
Butler, 
Having regard to the discussions on 23 September 1981 at 
its 190th plenary session, held on 23 and 24 September 
1981, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
Done at Brussels, 23 September 1981. 
Tomas ROSEINGRAVE The Economic and Social Committee welcomed the 
introduction of the common organization of the market 
in sheepmeat and goatmeat recognizing that it provided 
the framework for resolving the very different 
production, marketing and trading patterns existing 
within the Community. 
The Committee notes that difficulties have been 
encountered in the coherent development of trade 
between Member States as a result of the provisions of 
Article 9 (3) of Regulation (EEC) No 1837/80. 
The current proposal would have two effects: 
(a) alters the balance between the payment of variable 
premiums and the annual ewe premium within one 
Member State; 
(b) reduces the charge on exports of sheep and 
sheepmeat to other Member States from any 
Member State which applies the variable premium 
option under Article 9 of Regulation (EEC) No 
1837/80. 
The Committee believes that the proposal may go some 
way to enable freer trade in sheep and sheepmeat between 
Member States to take place; however, it questions 
whether the proposal alone would be sufficient to secure 
the efficient management of the Community market. The 
Committee therefore considers that further initiatives will 
be necessary to ensure the proper harmonization of 
Community markets within the common organization 
while continuing to secure adequate incomes for 
producers throughout the Community. 
The Chairman 
of the 
Economic and Social Committee 
(») OJNoC 171,9.7. 1979.