No C 105/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 26. 4. 79 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 198 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of the 
European Communities on 3 July 1978 for an opinion, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 
11 July 1978 instructing the Section for Industry, 
Commerce, Crafts and Services to draw up an opinion on 
the matter, 
Having regard to the opinion issued by the Section for 
Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services at its meeting 
held on 6 September 1978, 
Having regard to its Rules of Procedure, and in 
particular Article 18 thereof, 
Having regard to the oral report submitted by the 
rapporteur-general, Mr Marvier, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 162nd plenary 
session held on 18 and 19 October 1978 (meeting on 
19 October), 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
Subject to a ceiling of 60 European units of account, 
small non-commercial consignments and products 
Done at Brussels, 19 October 1978. contained in travellers' luggage currently attract a 
standard 10% ad valorem customs duty when they are 
imported into the Community. The draft Regulation 
raises this ceiling to 100 European units of account. The 
Committee endorses the proposal. 
The Committee notes, however, that this amendment 
will not, as the explanatory memorandum suggests, 
merely maintain 'the real value of goods eligible for the 
flat rate of duty'. 
In the weak-currency Member States, the amendment 
will lead to a quite significant increase in the quantities 
eligible for the flat-rate duty. It will have the opposite 
effect in the strong-currency Member States. 
This would not be particulary significant but for the fact 
that the flat-rate ceilings are linked de facto if not de jure 
to current duty-free allowances. 
The Committee therefore takes the view that the entire 
system of duty-free concessions (for goods purchased 
both inside and outside the Community) and the 
arrangements for duty-free shops should be reviewed at 
this juncture. 
The Committee recalls its opinion on the proposal on tax 
exemption for personal property imported from another 
Member State (1) and urges the Council to undertake 
a comprehensive review of customs concessions for 
travellers and small non-commercial consignments. 
(!) OJNoC 131, 12.6. 1976. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Fabrizia BADUEL GLORIOSO 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation on the development of an agricultural 
advisory service in Italy 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 169 of 14 July 1978, page 7. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 14 July 1978 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article 47 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 162nd 
plenary session held in Brussels on 18 and 19 October 1978. 
26. 4. 79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 105/9 
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 47 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of the 
European Communities on 14 July 1978 for an opinion, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 
11 July 1978 instructing the Section for Agriculture to 
draw up an opinion on the matter, 
Having regard to the opinion issued by the Section for 
Agriculture at its meeting held on 7 September 1978, 
Having regard to its Rules of Procedure, and in 
particular Article 18 thereof, 
Having regard to its earlier work in this field and in 
particular its opinion of 13 July 1978 on the various 
Commission proposals on the development of the 
Mediterranean regions of the Community and their 
agricultural problems, 
Having regard to the report submitted by the 
rapporteur-general, Mr Rainero, 
Having regard to the discussion at its 162nd plenary 
session, held on 18 and 19 October 1978 (meeting of 
19 October), 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
1. The Economic and Social Committee takes note of 
the Commission's proposal, which it approves subject to 
the following comments. 
2. General comments 
2.1. The proposal is intended to overcome the lack of 
an effective agricultural advisory service in many regions 
in Italy. It is to be related to the implementation of 
programmes designed to ensure that the regions 
concerned are developed in a balanced manner. The 
Commission considers that the introduction of such an 
Done at Brussels, 19 October 1978. advisory service will be in the fundamental interest, not 
only of Italian agriculture, but also of the Community as 
a whole. 
2.2. The Committee is very favourably impressed by 
the fact that the Commission has decided to accompany 
the measures for reforming the Community's 
Mediterranean areas in terms of structure and 
production by this special measure to develop 
technical-assistance and advisory services. 
2.3. In the Committee's view, the proposal for a 
Regulation takes on particular importance when it is 
considered for what it is, viz., a significant measure 
which is designed to trigger and foster a spontaneous 
development process. It is not a substitute for the drive 
which is currently being undertaken in Italy by national 
organizations both public and private, but a vigorous 
incentive which will enable valuable time to be saved in 
making Italian agriculture progress. 
2.4. The fact that it will be possible to work on 
structural, production and marketing aspects and, at the 
same time, on technical assistance and guidance for 
farmers will constitute a decisive contribution towards 
attaining the objectives of the measures. 
2.5. As regards the achievement of these objectives, 
the Committee took a stand in the opinion of 13 July 
1978 on the various proposals on the development of the 
Mediterranean regions of the Community and their 
agriculture problems. It recommended that 'to enhance 
its effectiveness the farm advisory service be 
administered by agricultural organizations'. 
Furthermore, it is through the existence of a multiplicity 
of institutions that one attains that participation on 
which any success depends, particularly in agriculture, 
bearing in mind, also the importance of human relations 
between persons engaged in agriculture and the 
experiences of the other Member States. 
2.7. The Committee approves the proposed duration 
and cost of the programme. The proposed 12-year period 
appears sufficient for the planned promotional effect to 
take root. 
However, the Committee considers that it does not seem 
possible in organizational terms to deal with the outline 
plan and its constituent plans within a year; it would 
therefore seen advisable at least to introduce three-year 
periods. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Fabrizia BADUEL GLORIOSO