13. 11. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 269/45 
must  be realized  that  they  are a specific  type  of instrument 
and intended  to be used  in an entirely  different  way. 
Accordingly,  they  must  be just  as accurate  if not more 
accurate  than  cold-water  meters. 
2.2. For  these  reasons,  and  bearing  in mind  the 
technical  advances  that  have  been  made  since  work  was 
begun  on the Directive  — especially  the big leap  prompted 
by the energy  crisis  - and  the high  unit  cost  of heated 
water,  it is in the  consumer's  own  interest  to have 
harmonization  which  keeps  abreast  of progress. 2.3. The  Committee  therefore  asks  the Commission  to 
take a fresh  look  at the various  classes  proposed  in the 
light  of the interests  of the consumer  and bearing  in mind 
the comments  made  by some  members  in the report. 
3. Harmonization  solution 
The Committee  agrees  with  the generally  held  view  that 
'total  harmonization'  is desirable  in this  field. 
Done  at Brussels,  31 Mav  1978. 
, The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the approximation  of the laws  of the 
Member  States  concerning  the general  requirements  of construction  and  certain  types  of 
protection  for electrical  equipment  for use in potentially  explosive  atmospheres 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 4 of 6 January  1978,  page  2. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 4 January  1978,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic  and 
Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  100  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 159th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978. 
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  100 
thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the Council  of the 
European  Communities  on 6 January  1978, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by the Bureau  of the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  on 31 January  1978, 
instructing  the Section  for Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts and Services  to draw  up an opinion  and a report  on the 
matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the Section  for 
Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and Services  at its meeting  on 
10 May  1978, 
Having  regard  to the oral  report  made  by the rapporteur, 
Mr Masprone, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 159th  plenary 
session,  held  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978  (meeting  of 
31 May  1978), 
No C 269/46 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 13. 11. 78 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a unanimous  vote: 
The Committee  approves  the proposal,  and would  make 
the following  comments: 
1. The  Committee  is pleased  that the proposal  provides 
for aligned  standards,  something  which  it has frequently 
advocated  in the past. 
2. As  the use of the equipment  in question  may  pose 
safety  hazards,  'total  harmonization'  should  be proposed. 
3. Article  5 of the proposal  provides  for the Directive 
to be amended  under  the procedure  set out in Article  7 of 
the outline  Directive  concerning  adjustments  in the light 
of technical  progress.  The  Committee  would  ask  that, before  the Commission  proposes  the changes  which  it 
deems  necessary,  it consults  the  professional  bodies 
concerned,  be they  bodies  representing  manufacturers  or 
consumers  or standards  institutes. 
4. The  Committee  would  draw  the  Commission's 
attention  to the fact  that  Article  7, and  particularly  the 
second  paragraph  of this Article  (notification  to the party 
concerned  of the  withdrawal  of the  certificate  of 
conformity),  may  give  rise  to legal  difficulties  in its 
implementation.  These  difficulties  would  occur  in a 
number  of countries,  because  of the fact  that  the bodies 
issuing  the certificates  of conformity  in these  countries  are 
not always  State  bodies. 
5. The  Committee  hopes  that  Standard  No 50018  in 
Annex  I will be amplified  by the appropriate  official  body 
before  the Directive  is adopted. 
Done  at Brussels,  31 May  1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Regulation  concerning  accession  to the United  Nations 
Convention  on a code  of conduct  for liner  conferences 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 35 of 11 February  1978,  page  3. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 30 January  1978,  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 159th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 30 May  and  1 June  1978. 
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  84 (2) 
thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the Council  of the 
European  Communities  on 3 February  1978  for  an 
opinion, Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its chairman  on 
10 February  1978,  instructing  the Section  for Transport 
and Communications  to prepare  on opinion  on the 
matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the Section  for 
Transport  and Communications  at its 119th  meeting,  held 
on 12 May  1978,